Abeg, make we yarn small about wetin dey happen for Bauchi! Dr. Shehu Zailani, wey be veterinarian, don raise alarm say harmattan weather dey cause serious gbege for our livestock health. E talk say di cold and dry wahala dey make poultry and young animals dey suffer, respiratory disease dey sabi land.
Dr. Zailani dey explain say as temperature dey drop, alongside di dry and dusty winds, e dey affect animal health like how extreme weather dey affect humans wey get respiratory issues. He don notice say di current weather pattern dey scatter normal livestock management wey farmers dey do, especially for poultry production.
For di first two weeks wey newly hatched chicks dey, dem need warm environment through wetin dem dey call brooding. E suppose help dem to chop well, grow fine, and survive. But as di cold temperatures dey waka full ground, e dey hard for farmers to maintain di proper temperature wey dem need, na im dey expose di young birds to sickness and possible death.
“If we no keep di chicks warm, dem go dey vulnerable to respiratory infections. Symptoms fit include coughing, nasal discharge, and laboured breathing,” Dr. Zailani yan. E no stop for poultry alone, e mention say small ruminants like goats and sheep dey also face di brunt of dis harmattan matter.
Long exposure to di cold fit weaken animal immune systems, wey go make dem dey prone to infections like respiratory diseases and Peste des Petits Ruminants. “When infected, dem go dey show signs wey include sneezing, nasal discharge, weakness, and overall poor health,” e add.
Dr. Zailani attribute di increase in disease cases to di dry, dusty winds as dem dey reduce body moisture for animals and create better environment for infectious diseases to spread. E don advise livestock owners say make dem provide warm and well-ventilated shelters for di animals to maintain stable body temperature.
“No forget say clean drinking water dey very important. Proper hydration fit help prevent diseases. Plenty cold-related diseases dey contagious, and if person no act fast, e fit lead to serious economic losses,” he talk. E also emphasize say make farmers no dey slack on routine livestock vaccination, especially for seasons wey weather dey change drastically.
Finally, e urge say make dem get veterinary attention fast-fast for any animal wey dey show signs of illness. Na im go fit help dem save plenty gbege for di farm,” he conclude.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
