In Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, 1600 sheep died after grazing for 7 days in a BT cotton field after the crop was harvested. The symptoms did not correlate to any of the diseases occurred during the season.

Symptoms included cough with nasal discharge, reddish and erosive lesions in the mouth, bloating, Blackish diarrhea, with sometimes red coloured urine. Sheep became dull/ depressed after 2-3 days post grazing. Animals affected in the flock included sheep 3-4 months old as well as mature animals that were 2 years old.

Shepherds transported their sheep to the government veterinary hospital in Warangal, so that a post-mortem could be performed by the government veterinarians. Some shepherds had also conducted their own post-mortems on the dead sheep (as is often the practice of shepherds across Andhra Pradesh). They observed black patches in the intestine and enlarged bile duct and black patches on the liver. The shepherds said that the Assistant Director, Animal Health Centre, Warangal, told them that these deaths appeared to be due to grazing of Bt-cotton fields as she has earlier seen such cases. The case history of all such deaths shows grazing in bt cotton commonly. She prescribed some medicines for the sick sheep. However, very few sheep responded and most died.

A shepherd of the hamlet village, Akkapalli reported that he had cultivated Bt- cotton the previous year and allowed his sheep to graze on it, which resulted in mortality in his flock during that period. This year while he cultivated Bt- cotton, he did not allow his sheep to graze on Bt cotton fields, due to the experience of last year, and his sheep did not die.

An investigative report presenting the details of the case has been made public. Another newspaper also carried a report on this incident.

The post-mortem symptoms as observed by the shepherds, suggest severe irritation of the intestines and associated organs (bile duct, liver) connected to the absorption and assimilation of food and processing of toxins. The post-mortem report of the government is awaited to corroborate the observations of the shepherds.

The symptoms reported by the shepherds, did not did not correlate to any of the other typical diseases that affect sheep during this period (common sheep diseases occurring during this season include sheep pox, enterotoxemia, occasionally pneumonia, peste du petits ruminants). The symptoms appear to be a generalized immune response to toxins or organisms producing toxins in the gut of the animal and thus suggest death due to a phyto-toxin, most probably Bt toxin. Only further investigation will yield confirmatory results.

A review of secondary literature suggests that thus far there have been no reported incidences of mortality in sheep due to Bt toxin either in India or in other countries. The secondary literature on Bt cotton reports that the BT toxin is present in plant parts above the ground particularly in young leaves and flower pods. Recent reports also suggest that Bt toxin is present in the roots of the plant and that these released toxins into soils during plant growth and persist. Root breakage caused a significant increase in the release of Bt-toxin. Detectable levels of Bt toxin have been found in decomposing Bt–cotton leaf samples particularly high in fresh leaves, and then decline within 2 weeks of leaf breakdown. (www.deh.gov.aus).

Labs have demonstrated that the Cry1Ac prototoxin does bind to mice intestinal epithelium surface proteins and does induce insitu changes in electrophysiological properties and may cause diarrhoea and irritation of the intestines (Vasquez-Padron et. al., 2000). In vitro it has been shown to be cytotoxic to mammalian cell lines and also has been shown to generate immune responses in mice. Whether these can be directly correlated to sheep and other livestock with fermentation or prokaryote (bacteria) based digestive systems is left open but it does warrant further investigation, as in livestock diets rich in cellulose, which make the stomach environment more alkaline is a favourable environment for the toxin to survive in the active form, causing sufficient damage once it reaches the intestines. The toxin usually gets inactivated in acidic stomach pH but is highly stable in alkaline conditions; hence humans won’t be effected much if they ingest it or if the toxin is taken in the oral route of entry through mouth and stomach.

Since the toxin may bind to intestinal proteins, there is a chance that if the sheep were exclusively eating the Bt crop matter, they would have in effect concentrated the toxin in their intestines due to the binding properties.

Meanwhile, farming communities in Australia and New Zealand are concerned about new results showing illnesses associated with genetically engineered crops. Recent studies have found that ingestion of GE corn cause immune system reaction, diarrhea and vomiting. Pollen from GE corn has caused severe allergic reactions in people living close to the fields. Workers picking GE cotton have suffered rashes and blisters, leaving black discolouration on the skin. Research by the Australian CSIRO on GE peas also revealed unexpected effects: food supposed to be harmless caused a severe lung reaction in mice.

It is unfortunate that the Government of India has presented no policies to regulate the use of these seeds till more extensive testing is done on the acute and long term toxicity of these variants. The policy of use now and regret later is not only irresponsible, it is reprehensible.

Related Links
Evidence Points To Bt Cotton
A Global Call Against Irradiation of Food
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