Miyetti Allah cries out over outbreak of cattle disease, seeks govt intervention

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has raised the alarm over the outbreak of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in Bauchi State and the Federal Capital Territory.

MACBAN called for urgent intervention of governments through nationwide vaccination of cows to curtail the outbreak.

General Secretary of the body, Othman Ngelzarma, made the call while briefing the newsmen about the disease on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ngelzarma, who decried the devastating effect of the disease, said no fewer than 2,000 cows had been killed by CBPP within the states in less than two months.

CBPP is an infectious disease of cattle caused by the mycoplasma mycoides bacteria, which causes inflammation and enlargement of the lungs.

The inflammation can lead to fluid accumulation in the chest cavity and the destruction of lung tissue. The damaged areas of lung are often hardened interfering with effective breathing and causes cattle to die from lack of oxygen.

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It is spread through the inhalation of airborne droplets from coughing or sneezing animals.

Ngelzarma emphasised that failure of government to ensure prompt intervention through vaccination would amount to its spread to neighbouring states of Nasarawa and others.

He decried that pastoralists were silently losing their cows, day in day out due to the epidemic.

“In FCT, about 200 cows were killed and the disease is fast spreading across those areas that are affected. Our fear is that if nothing is done fast, it will escalate to Nasarawa state and most of the neighbouring states.

“It is a disease that if not checked immediately in few years time more than half of cows belonging to MACBAN members will perish,” he said.

“So, we call on the Federal and state governments to come up with vaccination plan to check the spread of this disease and to come up with palliatives for those families that have been affected by these diseases and other crises,” Ngelzarma said.

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