Free animal vaccination begins

The Ogun State Government has commenced annual free mass vaccination of animals in the state.

The vaccination, which would be carried out in all the 20 local governments in the state, is designed to vaccinate animals against transboundary animal diseases (TADs).

FarmingFarmersFarms reports that there are cases of African swine in the Ijebu area of the state.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, which took place at the Eweje Farm Institute in the Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Samson Odedina, noted that the free mass vaccination was to guard against economic and deadly diseases of animals, saying TADS are contagious and can spread rapidly amongst livestock.

The commissioner disclosed that the programme was held in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In his words, “The free mass vaccination will be carried out in all the twenty local governments in Ogun State. The aim is to vaccinate cattle, sheep, goats and dogs against transboundary animal diseases (TADs).

“TADS are contagious epidemic diseases of livestock that have the potential to spread rapidly across the globe with negative social economic and public health consequences.

“The programme is in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development sponsored by (Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement) REDISSE.”

The commissioner added that the Federal Government had donated 10,921 doses of anti-rabies vaccines, 20,000 doses of Newcastle disease, 10,000 doses of Peste des petit Ruminants (PPR) and 10,000 doses of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia vaccines.