Why Yobe makes animal vaccination a yearly affair – Dr. Gaidam

Mass vaccination of animals in Yobe State has become an annual event. What informed this mass vaccination exercise?Yobe State is one of the leading livestock producing states in Nigeria. Geographically, the state shares a long and porous border with Niger Republic. Similarly, we share borders with Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Borno and Gombe states. The nomadic […]

Mass vaccination of animals in Yobe State has become an annual event. What informed this mass vaccination exercise?
Yobe State is one of the leading livestock producing states in Nigeria. Geographically, the state shares a long and porous border with Niger Republic. Similarly, we share borders with Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Borno and Gombe states. The nomadic practice of livestock husbandry has no borders in the search for greener pastures and therefore, provides for easy movement of diseases from one point to another just as the animals move making our livestock vulnerable to trans-boundary animal diseases likely to be carried into the state by such migrating animals. Hence, the need to take proactive measures in safeguarding the health and safety of livestock in the state.
Yobe is the first state in the country to establish a ministry of animals and fisheries to accord the desired attention to animal health and development. From 2009 to date, Yobe State through the Pilot Livestock Development Programme has vaccinated over 3.5 million cattle, sheep and goats. The 2013 exercise which was launched recently by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam at Digumari village, will have 800,000 herds of cattle for vaccination against Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonis and Black Quarter, 900,000 sheep and goats for vaccination against Pest de Petits Ruminantes and 2, 500 dogs against Rabies across the state.
After the flag off by the governor, Fika Local Government Council and others also commenced the vaccination exercise. The chairmen of the 17 local government councils are equally the chairmen of the vaccination facilitators committees of their respective local government areas. I am glad that this administration has given much attention to animal health, just as it has to give to human health because, if the livestock are not treated, it will bounce back on humans who consume the animals. So, this exercise is not just about saving the animals but also human beings.
What are the common trans-boundary diseases found among the animals since the commencement of this exercise?
Since 2009, the state PLDP established five zonal offices and disease surveillance units to monitor outbreak of animal diseases across the state for timely and adequate response. We have so far established Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (CBPP), Black Quarter (BQ) among cattle, and Pest de Petits Ruminantes (PPR) in sheep and goats while, dogs have rabies. The state government has supported the programme with laboratory equipment and chemical/reagents in the five veterinary zonal offices, and drugs in the cool chain system at the headquarters for quick response to any disease outbreak in any part of the state. This has obviously improved diagnosis of diseases, prevention, treatment and control thereby boosting animal health, livestock farming and improving the economy of livestock farmers in Yobe State. Governor Gaidam observed that PLDP has demarcated cattle routes thereby curbing farmer/grazer conflicts in the state.
How many kilometres has the programme demarcated?
We have demarcated and beaconed 945 kilometres of cattle routes across the state. The programme as a matter of policy ensures that all demarcations and beaconing are carried out in the presence of traditional and cultural leaders of both farming and grazing communities to give everyone a sense of belonging
We also constituted special monitoring team for periodic supervision of the cattle routes to ensure that farmers do not encroach on the demarcated routes. Government supported the programme to develop grazing reserves in Dilawa, Gumsi, Gujba, Jakusko/Nasari, Tarjem, Alagarno/Mashio, Gumsa among others, and provided water facilities and livestock feeds to discourage encroachment on farmlands while in search of pasture and water.
We cultivated ‘Stylothensis Guanensis’ and ‘Centrosema Pubensens’ grasses on 24 hectares of land in Gujba cattle range, Tarajum in Nangere Local Government, LIBC Nguru, Jakusko/Nazari in Jakusko Local Government, Gumsa in Geidam and Alagarno in Fune Local Government.
We also distributed free seeds to encourage individual farmers engage in irrigation cultivation of the grasses to boost feeds for their animals as this has proved to be good for the livestock in growth with increase in beef and dairy production in animals.
So, the combination of providing medical care, demarcating cattle routes, cultivation of food supplements and provision of water facilities to the grazing communities has grossly checked farmer/grazer conflicts in the state.
There are plans to upgrade the programme to an agency, will that make any difference?
Yes, Governor Gaidam, at the launching of the mass vaccination exercise, said government will consider upgrading the programme to an agency. First, the government resuscitated the programme in 2007 to become what it is today. So, I want to believe that government must have strong reasons to upgrade it to an agency.
However, let me remind you that Yobe has enormous potentials in livestock which need to be exploited to improve the economy of the people and the state. There is no household in the state that is not engaged in one form of animal husbandry or the other, it is a large business that needs to be developed from what we can refer to as subsistence to commercial farming. In this case, you need the necessary structure and machinery to fast track this transformation.
The programme has so far created the enabling environment to move over 10 million herds of cattle, sheep and goats from the old style of animal husbandry to improved livestock farming with good feeds, less migration and adequate healthcare delivery. This will translate into increased and healthy beef and dairy production in the state. Again, government is considering establishment of a modern abattoir in the state. Therefore, with these plans, it is indeed a good foresight to upgrade the programme to an agency.
How prepared is the programme in terms of manpower development to fully exploit the potentials of livestock industry in the state?
Yes, government has shown so much interest in manpower development just as it has in the provision of drugs and equipment for effective disease surveillance and control in the state. We have enjoyed local and international training for our staff.
We are proud of having three ultrasound specialists who were in Poland on training in ultrasonography in large and small animals with additional training on modern techniques of detecting pregnancy in the first 28 days, and gender in 45 days. With the ultra sound scanning machine, livestock farmers in the state will be saved from fetus loss in pregnant animals slaughtered in the abattoirs for consumption, and I am happy to inform you that government has indicated interest to procure these machines as part of its commitment to the transformation process.