Centre bans cow sale for slaughter

Notification bars painting horns, decorating cattle

The government has banned the sale of cattle at animal markets for the purpose of slaughter.

According to the Central regulation, only farmland owners will be allowed cattle business at animal markets. The notification covers bulls, bullocks, cows, buffaloes, steers, heifers and calves, as well as camel.

The rules make it mandatory for cattle buyers to give an undertaking that animals are not for slaughter. Market committees will have to check the buyers’ bonafides and preserve records of sale for six months, said the government notification effective from Friday.

The eight-page notification says cattle buyers cannot sell the animals outside the state without permission.

The new rules prohibit the sale of “young” and “unfit animals” and have about 30 norms for animal welfare in markets, including providing water, fans, bedding, ramps, non-slippery flooring, veterinary facility and separate enclosure for sick animals.

The regulations make it mandatory for a veterinary inspector to certify loading and unloading of animals to ensure they are not cramped inside trucks. Animal markets will now have to run only with the approval of district animal market committees to be headed by a magistrate and having two representatives of government-approved animal welfare groups.

The rules were drafted following the Supreme Court directions aimed at improving condition of animals in these markets. They come in the backdrop of violence triggered by rumours of transport of cattle for slaughter.

Other rules prohibited practices that are cruel to animals including painting of horns and putting ornaments or decorative materials on them.