Over 3,000 Livestock in Kaugama LGA Receive Lung Disease Vaccine

Authorities in Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State have launched a vaccination campaign aimed at 3,105 domestic animals to combat the spread of pulmonary disease, a deadly infection.

During the official flag-off of the exercise on Saturday, Nasir Ibrahim, who heads the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources for Kaugama LGA, announced that the initiative would cover all communities impacted by the illness. He further disclosed that the council decided to undertake this exercise after reports emerged of pulmonary disease affecting livestock in three specific communities within the area.

According to Ibrahim, the affected animals include 2,045 cows and 1,060 sheep and goats residing in Cumbuleske, Ganuwa, and Rigar Kwagga communities. He stated, “The local government council has procured vaccines and other necessary logistics to forestall future occurrence and spread of the disease.”

Ibrahim clarified that bacterial pneumonia, often following viral infections, is a common cause of the disease, leading to symptoms like difficulty in breathing and coughing among animals. He added, “Parasites such as lungworms and toxic environmental factors including herbicide toxicity can also cause severe lung damage in livestock.” He assured that the council would continuously monitor the situation and extend the vaccination effort to additional communities if the need arises.

Sha’aibu Adamu, the Chairman of Kautal-Hore Association in the area, applauded the council’s swift intervention. He noted that the LGA chairman acted promptly upon receiving reports of the outbreak from local herders. Adamu expressed gratitude, saying, “We appreciate the council chairman for his quick response to save our livestock, which is our only source of livelihood.”

Umaru Bello, a beneficiary who spoke to our correspondent shortly after the flag-off, described the intervention as timely. Bello recounted, “Many of our cows were coughing and struggling to breathe; we thank the local government for bringing this vaccine to our community.” Another beneficiary, Maigari Alto, emphasized that the vaccination would significantly reduce losses for pastoralists. He stated, “We have lost some animals before this exercise; this vaccination will help us protect the remaining ones.”