Amputee cow gets prosthetic leg; tale of humanity

THRISSUR: It is not only Davis and his family in Manalur Kundukulam who are overjoyed when they see Manikutty grazing on a prosthetic leg. The locals also share the joy of rescuing the three-year-old cow from slaughter.

A year ago, Manikutty got scared by a dog attack and ran around a coconut tree. The rope wrapped around its leg and she fell. The cow had swelling at the part where the rope tightened and she lost the skin there.

The doctors of the Veterinary University proposed amputating the leg. After the procedure, doctors bandaged the cut with a thick pad. The family treated the cow as if it was their own baby. Everyone who saw the state of the cow suggested giving it for slaughtering, which is what the veterinarians also recommended. But David and his family were not able to able to do that. They instead asked whether their beloved Manikutty, which they bought at a very young age, could be fitted with artificial limbs like humans.

They informed this at KitKat Orthotics and Prosthetics Center in Thrissur, which manufactures prosthetics for humans. They made a prosthetic leg on an experimental basis. This was fitted to Manikutty last month. The next day she made to walk for 50 metres. Though slowly, Manikutty is getting better everyday with the care and love of its family.