OFFICIAL: Yobe Govt To Quarantine Sick Animals
Yobe Pilot Livestock Development Programme (YPLDP) says it will quarantine animals coming into the state with life-threatening diseases so as to secure the health of the resident livestock.
Dr Mustapha Gaidam, the Manager of YPLDP, said this on Monday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu.
He said that the programme had embarked on disease surveillance activities to monitor the health status of animals coming in from other states to Yobe.
He said that the programme would compulsorily vaccinate incoming animals that were detected by the surveillance team to have any suspected disease.
“The programme has commenced discussions with all stakeholders to ensure a successful and peaceful exercise.
“Pastoralists from Taraba, Osun, Ekiti and Benue are moving into the state massively with their animals,’’ he said.
Gaidam said that facilities, which the state government had provided, had made livestock farming a profitable venture, thereby attracting more pastoralists from other states to Yobe.
“The state government has provided water facilities and drinking points for animals, grazing reserves, food supplements, free animal healthcare and stock routes for easy movement of animals,’’ he said.
The manager said that the state government had also earmarked 2,500 hectares of land in Gumsa, Giedam Local Government Area (LGA) and Nazari in Jakusko LGA for the Federal Government’s grazing reserve project.
“We have also cultivated demonstration fodder bank to boost animal feeds production,
“We also provide free seeds of centrosema, stylothensis, nappier and lab-labgrasses to encourage local livestock farmers to establish their own fodder banks,’’ he added. (NAN)
