Veterinarians in Macedonia, Greece have identified a banned pesticide as being responsible for the deaths of 50 cows in the Axios river delta. The owner of the cows, who has another 150 animals on his farm, has alleged that the 50 deaths were caused on purpose by a local rival. Investigators have stated that the facts of the case indicate that the deaths were an act of wilful poisoning. Scientists however are also conducting tests on samples of local animal feed and water to establish whether the pesticide could have entered the food chain in another manner.