Agri Local

Veterinary Officer Chides Livestock Farmers over Vaccination Concerns

Veterinary Officer at the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, Mr. Isaac Nyumuteye has reproached livestock farmers in the municipality for refusing to heed precautionary measures as far as vaccination of their livestock is concerned.

According to Mr. Nyumuteye, the recalcitrance of the livestock farmers together with other difficulties facing the veterinary services such as logistical challenges continue to make things difficult for the veterinary services to deliver their services effectively and efficiently.

“Whenever the veterinary department advises livestock farmers on the vaccination of their animals against any likely diseases, they don’t take such warnings seriously but adopt a lackluster approach until the outbreak of the disease and subsequent loss of the livestock through infections,” Mr. Nyumuteye averred.

To enhance Ghana’s capacity to produce more meat to reduce the nation’s meat deficit and increase incomes of farmers, the Veterinary Services Department, VSD employed various strategies throughout the country to control and contain outbreaks of scheduled diseases.

These included spatial strategies like imposition of ban on movement, quarantine, restriction, regulatory services and encouraging community participation and non-spatial strategies of animal health programmes such vaccination and prophylactic treatments.

The Veterinary Officer was dismayed by the posture of the livestock farmers who expect veterinary services including vaccination to be free of charge despite engaging in a commercial activity such as cattle rearing.

“The livestock farmers who are rearing animals as a commercial activity are expecting government to provide the vaccination services free of charge but government unfortunately can’t do all,” Mr. Nyumuteye said.

Speaking in an interview with Captain Adabugar during the Akuafo Sesen segment of the Rite Morning Ride to register some of the challenges they faced in the delivery of their duties, the Veterinary Officer cited the passing of a law on veterinary charges in 2015 to check livestock production.

The implementation of the law on veterinary charges was expected to harmonize and standardize meat production, processing, inspection and conveyance in the country.

This was in accordance with the Public Health Act passed by Parliament in 2012.

The law targets the operations of butchers in all 347 abattoirs, slaughter houses and slabs across the country.

“Before you kill any animal for human consumption, you need to involve the veterinary department for inspection and verification, but the abattoir houses, chop bar operators and khebab sellers are not doing so because the laws are not working,” he added.

The veterinary officer also wondered why people continued to die from rabies when all that is required to stop the menace is vaccination.

“There is no need for anybody to die out of rabies. However, this is still prevalent because producers of dogs on cpmmecial basis have refused to vaccinate them with the anti-rabies vaccination,” he noted

Source; Prince Paul Amuzu/www.ritefmonline.org/princeamuzu667@gmail.com

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