Kendrapara: Nearly a hundred exclusive breed sheep and goats found only in Kendrapara district have died in the past one week in a remote riverside village, triggering worry for veterinary experts.

The deaths are confined only in Shubala village in Teragaon gram panchayat under Mahakalpada tehsil. The animal husbandry department has received official reports of nearly 60 death cases of death in this village.

However no sheep or goat death has been reported so far from other parts of the district, additional district veterinary officer Symphony Mohanty said.

Since the deaths are localised in nature with their occurrence confined to a particular village, it can be concluded that things have not assumed epidemic proportions. The department is intent on curbing the animals' mortality in the village, he said.

Veterinary surgeons from the animal husbandry department have rushed to the village to take stock of the situation.

Blood and stool samples of the animals have been collected for laboratory tests. The stool samples would be tested at the Kendrapara diagnostic laboratory while the blood samples are being sent to the department of animal breeding and genetics at the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar.

The diagnostic laboratory here is not equipped for blood sample test, said the official.

"As a precautionary measure, the animals are being vaccinated to enhance their disease immunity. In the months of January and February, the sheep and goats are mostly afflicted with worm infection, foot and mouth and septicaemia diseases. We are waiting for diagnostic reports to ascertain the exact nature of disease," said an official.

A sheep farmer from Shubala village, Gagan Swain, 52, said: "I have lost a dozen goats and sheep. I earn my livelihood from rearing these domestic animals. If more of them die, I will be on streets."