NAN-AE-15
Vaccination
By Mamman Mohammed
Damaturu, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) The government of Yobe state will vaccinate 627,000 herds of animals against Trans Boundary diseases under the annual mass vaccination programme.
Dr Mustapha Gaidam, Manager, Yobe Livestock Development Programme, made the disclosure on Thursday in Damaturu when the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Mustapha Gajirima, inspected vaccines purchased for the programme.
He said that cows, sheep, goats and dogs would be vaccinated to protect them from diseases carried by migratory animals.
“We are vaccinating the animals against Contagious Bovine Pluro Pneumonia (CBPP), Black Quarter (BQ) and Pest Petit Ruminants (PPR) and, Anti-Rabies (AR) for dogs,’’ he said.
Gaidam said that the state recently recorded mass movement of herdsmen and their animals from other parts of the country.
“Government has demarcated over 1,000 stock routes; the programme is to protect these animal routes against encroachment to ensure free movement and curb farmers/herdsmen conflicts.
“Our existing grazing reserves are becoming congested because of massive influx of livestock farmers into Yobe state,’’ he said.
The manager said that the programme had established `test trail plantations’ for animal feeds which would be transplanted in other parts of the state to boost animal feeds across Yobe.
He advised livestock farmers to visit zonal veterinary offices close to them for routine clinical treatment of their livestock.
In his remarks, the Agric commissioner, Alhaji Mustapha Gajirima, lauded the programme for its consistency and for putting government on its toes to sustain the annual vaccination of animals in the state.
He said the vaccination would translate into healthy animals with hygienic beef and dairy for human consumption.
“This will also improve the revenue base of individual farmers as the government looks into available opportunities for diversification of the economy,’’ Gajirima said. (NAN)
MM/FAT/AEA
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(Edited by Fatima Sule and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo)