By George George Idowu
The Adamawa State government is set to tackle a deadly cattle disease following the death of over 1,000 cows in the neighbouring Taraba State.
The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Livestock and Aquaculture in Adamawa State, Suleiman Aminu, disclosed this at weekend during an interactive section with group of journalists.
He said the ministry has already sent a memo to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, requesting approval for purchasing drugs for mass vaccinations of cows and other animals across the state.
According to him, authority in the state has stepped up surveillance and planning an extensive vaccination campaign against haemorrhagic septicaemia, a disease suspected of killing over 1,000 cows in neighbouring Taraba.
Aminu explained that the bacterial disease primarily affects cattle, buffaloes, goats, and pigs, with symptoms including high fever, swelling (especially on the neck), depression, and difficulty breathing. The disease can cause death in less than 24 hours, he noted.
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He said report gotten from Taraba shows that the disease is believed to have caused the death of more than 1,000 cows in the Sardauna Local Government area of the state, which borders Adamawa.
He said: “With confirmed cases of the disease in Gembu, Taraba, and its spread to other LGAs, the ministry has called on all divisional veterinary officers to intensify efforts and conduct thorough examinations to prevent the disease from reaching Adamawa.
“Although samples are still being tested at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Laboratory in Vom, Plateau, our Taraba counterparts have confirmed that a mass vaccination will soon commence across the state,” he aadded.
He urged Adamawa residents to remain vigilant and report suspected cases to the ministry, veterinary clinics, or officials.
The affected LGAs in Taraba border Adamawa’s Toungo, Ganye, Jada, Mayo-Belwa, Demsa, Numan, and Lamurde local government areas.
