Okowa tasks pig farmers on hygiene

Given current global health situation, governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has directed owners of pig farms in the state to intensify hygiene and restrictions measures to forestall outbreaks of diseases in their farms.

A statement signed by the Director of Information and made available to OpenLife, Dona Obuseh, said the directive has become imperative in view of reported case of African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in some farms of the state.

The statement specifically directed pig farmers, butchers and other stakeholder put in place control measures such as stepping up the bio-security in their respective farms, by improving on their hygiene and halting inter-farm movement of pigs, humans, materials as well as importation of pigs from outside the state.

Other control measures include protect their pig farms from free range pigs and  report any suspected sick pig to the veterinary clinic, livestock officer or agricultural extension agents.

According to the statement, the ASF kill pigs in large scale and capable of crumbling pig business for farmers, adding however that the consumption of infected pig posed no threat to humans.

The statement, nevertheless, directed pig farmers and stakeholders to beware of buying already sick animals to forestall the outbreak of the disease in their farms and those of others in the state.