Interview with Dr Sanjay Sharma, Veterinary Officer, at the BK Tayal kiln, Baghpat, UP

"The Brooke started working at the BK Tayal kiln in early January 2011 and the 14 buggiewalas (equine owners who transport bricks from the moulding site to the kiln) have mostly migrated from other villages to work here.

Migrant workers come from the same district, around 40km away and each worker has one day off each week.

“There are three water pumps at this kiln, which is a good number for a kiln this size, but the distance between the moulding site and the kiln is around 1km, compared to around 300m in many other kilns, which adds to the time and loads they can transport between areas.

“From the Brooke’s initial assessment, the condition of the animals here is better than some others in the area. “Since the work began, one owner now has his own first aid kit and has treated one animal for colic, while the Brooke has treated other animals for lameness and an eye condition.

“Colic is the main problem in the BK Tayal kiln, and the vets report between 25 and 100 cases during the brick kiln season.

Buggiewalas feed their equines as much as possible during the season, thinking this will make the animals stronger and able to work harder.

In reality, their stomachs cannot cope with what sometimes amounts to double their usual amount of food, and their digestive system becomes blocked, resulting in colic.

“The Brooke team is advising on this right now, but it takes time to convince the owners, including the Brooke’s advice to not feed the animal for 24 hours after an attack of colic.

"The Brooke is also encouraging owners to supplement feed with oil to boost the food’s nutritional quality and increase their animal’s energy levels.”