Yobe Livestock Devevelopment Programme arrests 2,000 animals

Yobe Livestock Pilot Development Programme said it had arrested and quarantined no fewer than 2,000 migrating cattle, goats and sheep not vaccinated against Trans-Boundary Animal Diseases.
The Programme Manager, Dr Mustapha Gaidam, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Damaturu that the animals were arrested in Yunusari, Yusufari, Nguru and Machina Local Government Areas, respectively.
"The animals were quarantined and vaccinated before being released to move through the state to safeguard the health of other livestock.
"In Yobe, we issue certificates for all vaccinated animals following the introduction of vaccination programme seven years ago so; migrating livestock farmers must therefore produce their certificates before being allowed to move around."
Gaidam said that five million cattle, sheep, goat and dogs had been vaccinated against trans-boundary animal diseases like Contagious Bovine Pluro Pneumonia (CBPP), Black Quarter (BQ), Pest Petit Ruminants (PPR) and Rabies.
He said that government had provided vaccines and drugs at zonal offices for routine clinical treatments, adding that there were also officers, who observed the animals and report suspicious outbreak of animal disease for proactive measures.
He said that 1,000 kilometres cattle routes had been demarcated to ease movement of cattle, and explained that the step had substantially curbed the menace of farmers and grazers conflicts in the state.
The manager said that the programme also initiated farmer-grazer community leaders, who serve as ambassadors and jointly treated encroachment problems between farmers and grazers.
According to him, government has gazetted 16 out of 31 grazing reserves in the state while the remaining 15 were being processed.
He said that the Yobe Government had constructed earth dams, hand pumps and boreholes in the grazing reserves and cultivated fodder banks for improved water supply and pasture to boost livestock production.
"The facilities and medical care provided by government at the grazing reserves have made migratory livestock farming less attractive among indigenous farmers who now prefer settling down in the grazing reserves," he said.
Gaidam urged other state governments to gazette and protect grazing reserves and cattle routes to reduce the incessant conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
He advised the Federal Government to establish agriculture skill acquisition programmes to explore potential in the agricultural sector to create employment.

He also suggested that special attention should be given to skills on poultry, animal husbandry, fish farming, dairy and beef production.

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