The Ekiti state Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project has held a sensitization meeting with pig farmers on ways of preventing the spread of African swine fever in the state.
Addressing the pig farmers during the forum in Ado-Ekiti, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Ebenezer Boluwade urged them to be vigilant and take preventative measures in order to avoid the outbreak of the highly contagious viral disease in their farms
The Commissioner who was represented by the Director Veterinary Services, Dr. Emmanuel Osayomi noted that African swine fever is not a zoonotic disease hence cannot be transmitted to humans but it is capable of causing high mortality among pigs in their farms.
He therefore called on pig farmers to be on the alert and report suspected cases to appropriate government agencies .
In his remarks, the State Project Coordinator of the L-PRES. Project, Mr. Olayinka Adedipe stressed that though the African swine fever may not be a direct threat to human health but it could be a great economic loss to pig farmers
Adedipe noted that presently, there is no vaccine to prevent the spread of the disease, so the best way to protect pigs from it is by prevention.
Earlier, the Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Mr. Anthony Alofe enjoined the farmers to urgently take action by creating awareness among their colleagues and urged them to carry out preventive measures such as not stocking their farms with pigs from questionable sources; promptly reporting suspected cases to the veterinary authorities and by increasing plane of nutrition to step up immunity of pigs.
In his contribution, the Animal Health Officer L-PRES, Dr. Oluwaseun Oluwarotimi enumerated symptoms of African swine fever among pigs to include: high temperature; loss of appetite; reddish skin; diarrhea; vomiting; general weakness, difficulty in breathing and abortion or sudden death among pigs.
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Responding, the Chairman of the Piggery Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State Chapter, Rev. Albert Aribisin appreciated the Ministry and the L-PRES project for the mapping and profiling of pig farmers and for supporting the formation of clusters by livestock farmers.
He solicited for government’s support through distribution of germicides, pesticides and other agrochemicals that can curb the spread of diseases in farms across the State.