Bauchi to vaccinate 1.6m livestock against contagious diseases – Agric Commissioner

The Bauchi State commissioner of Agriculture and Natural resources, Barrister Yakubu Kirfi has disclosed that not fewer than 1.6 million livestock have been targeted for vaccination against contagious diseases in the state.

The commissioner who stated this at the flagging off ceremony of 2018 Livestock vaccination campaign in Chinade on Monday said, “1.6 million livestocks would be vaccinated against common preventable diseases across the state”.

According to Kirfi, the livestock compromises 1 million cattle, 200,000 goats and sheep 400,000 chickens, adding that 3,500 and Livestock have been targeted at the venue of the launching exercise in Chinade, katagum local government area.

He said the exercise is geared towards empowering livestock farmers and enhancement of economic growth of the state.

The state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar said in a remark that the sum of N39,524,500.00 was released for the Vaccination of livestock against preventable diseases across the state.

He explained that “the present administration is fully aware of the significant role of the veterinary sub sector in the area of agriculture’ public health, preventive, medicine and food security”.

The Governor who was represented by his deputy Alhaji Audu Sule katagum said the sub sector has equally been playing a vital role in the control of emerging and re-emerging diseases most of which are zoonotic in nature.

According to him, the federal ministry of agriculture in collaboration with the state government have recently constructed a modern poultry market and abattoir complex at muda Lawal market in the state capital.

Gov Abubakar pointed out that his administration attaches much importance to man power, development of the sub-sector by sustaining the veterinary students, manpower scheme despite the embargo on employment in the state.

Governor Abubakar while stressing that the state currently has about 94 veterinary students in various universities within and outside the country maintained that the State is one of the leading livestock producers in the country with about 75 % farming population engaged in one form of livestock business or the other.

He said, “Records from the federal department of livestock indicated that Bauchi State has over one million heads of cattle, 3,481,285 sheep and 5,213,423 goats”.

“Considering the increase of livestock in the state, it is imperative to improve the tempo of yearly vaccination campaign of livestock against preventable diseases,” he added.

The governor explained that his administration’s policy on interventions in the agricultural entrepreneurship development programme cut across all sectors of agriculture in the state.

Earlier on, the Bauchi state chairman of Miyatti Allah, Abdullahi Abubakar commended the state government for considering Chinade the venue for the flag off of this year’s exercise urging government to sustain the vaccination exercise to enable cattle breeders maintained a permanent place of aboard.