A buffalo that scoffed down a 25-gramme gold necklace had to undergo a two-hour surgery to remove it and is now recovering.
The bizarre incident occurred in the Sarsi village of Washim city, in the Indian state of Maharashtra, where necklace owner Geeta Bai Bhoyar placed her gold mangalsutra, a traditional married woman’s necklace, on a plate before going to sleep on 27th September.
After waking up the next day, she then fed her family’s buffalo soybean husks on the same plate, forgetting that was where she had put the chain.
Unfortunately, the buffalo ingested both the soybean husks and the 25-gramme mangalsutra worth INR 200,000 (GBP 2,000).
Geeta, who had initially forgotten where she had placed the mangalsutra, began searching for her golden necklace, which she and her family thought had been stolen.
During her search, she recalled having left it on the plate used to feed the buffalo.
Concerned for the buffalo’s well-being, Geeta’s family contacted a veterinarian to determine if the buffalo had ingested the necklace.
An ultrasound performed on the buffalo proved futile, as it failed to reveal whether the object was inside the animal’s body.
However, a metal detector was then employed to solve the puzzle, successfully locating the necklace in the buffalo’s stomach.
The family opted for surgery, which was performed on 28th September.
Balasaheb Kaundane, an Animal Health Officer, explained: “A metal detector revealed the presence of metal in the buffalo’s stomach.
“A 2-hour operation was conducted, resulting in 60-65 stitches.”
The necklace was successfully removed and the animal is currently under observation.
Footage of the incident uploaded on X (formerly Twitter), shows the buffalo with visible white stitches marking the area of the incision.
Geeta’s family said they were relieved that the animal is safe.
The ingestion of foreign objects by animals can pose a serious risk, potentially leading to intestinal blockages, internal injuries, or even death if not treated promptly.
