With jallikattu season round the corner, examining the health of bulls that will take part in the events scheduled for Madurai district began on Wednesday.
The bull owners had been grooming and training the bulls for the jallikattu, a highlight of Pongal celebrations in this region. These bulls need to pass the physical examination to determine their fitness.
About 25 bovines were examined at the Vilachery Government Veterinary Hospital and given fitness certificates. G. Sivakumar, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, who examined the bulls, said they checked various body parts of the bulls, which were aged between three and eight, to determine their health condition.
“The bulls should have received the Foot and Mouth disease vaccine to be eligible to participate in the event and they should be of the indigenous breeds with humps,” said Dr. Sivakumar. The bulls’ height should also be above 132cm. They must have a healthy physique as lean bulls are not allowed into the arena, he said.
As per the Animal Welfare Board’s new order, the bull owners must use horn bush on their bulls to ensure the safety of tamers. Once the fitness certificates are issued, the bull owners have to upload them online to register their bulls for the competitions.
