More sick cattle fear killing after Shambo's slaughter

London, July 30 (UNI) Two more cattle fear death sentence at a Hindu temple from where Shambo the bull was seized and slaughtered last week on health grounds.

A 20-year-old bull, Bhakti, and an eight-month-old water buffalo, Dakshini, like Shambo, tested positive for bovine tuberculosis.

Monks have promised to resist any attempts to have them killed.

Last week's attempts by government vets to remove Shambo for slaughter resulted in an all-day stand-off during which monks had to be dragged clear by police as they prayed, and the authorities are desperate to avoid a repeat.

Unless the two diseased animals produce negative results when retested next month, which experts believe is highly unlikely, there may be another confrontation.

The community has a menagerie, including an elephant, ten ponies, 13 water buffalos, 12 goats, 40 cows and bulls, two llamas, 20 deer, about 300 poultry and waterfowl, more than 100 fish, five terrapins and more than 20 rabbits.

Apart from the deer, only the cows and water buffalo are thought to be susceptible to the disease. Dakshini and Bhakti both tested positive when inspectors visited the temple last month.

Results of other five animals had been inconclusive, but it was feared that when the entire herd undergoes compulsory retests next month, more would have become infected. It is not clear whether the deer would be tested or not.

Shambo's post-mortem examination confirmed that it was suffering from TB, but further laboratory tests were required to know the rate of infection, so no immediate action was expected on other animals.

A spokesman for the temple said, ''We are hoping the Welsh Assembly take a co-operative approach so that we do not get the same outcome as with Shambo. Our arguments are still the same. We still believe in the sanctity of life, so for the rest of the herd the arguments remain the same. Killing is not an option for us.'' The monks argued that instead of being slaughtered, infected animals could be kept in isolation or sent to a cow sanctuary in India. They were also hoping to meet ministers to discuss changing the law to give special protection to ''sacred'' animals.

Dyfed Powys Police, which sent 56 officers to help end Thursday's stand-off, said the affair cost about 10,000 pounds. The total legal bill for the 12-week battle was put at 150,000 pounds.

UNI