Veterinary doctors urged to proffer solutions to challenges in livestock industry

The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has charged its members to use their scientific knowledge and skills to proffer solutions to the challenges facing the livestock industry in Nigeria.

This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the 2019 Professional Continuing Education of the Veterinary Association of Nigeria held in Bauchi State.

According to the communique “the meeting noted with concern the various challenges confronting Livestock Production in Nigeria, and resolved that Veterinary Profession should use her scientific knowledge, skills and resources to proffer lasting solutions to different challenges facing livestock industry in Nigeria.”

The communique further stated that Veterinary practice is teamwork, therefore the role of Veterinary Paraprofessionals should not be undermined.

The meeting also observed that the integration of increased intensification policy with modern-day technology should be embraced in order to drive sustainable livestock production for both the pastoralist and ranchers in Nigeria.

While calling on Government at all levels to legislate on judicious antibiotics use in animals, the meeting noted with concern the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in food animals, with its attendant emergence of antibiotic resistance in both human and animal pathogens.

The President of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Professor Bello Agaie, in his paper highlighted the age-long dependence of societies on livestock and livestock products for nutrition and economic security.

He said in Africa, livestock is central to the livelihood of rural communities, enhancing human capacity building, continued good health, the building of social capital, strengthening cultural diversity and heritage of several ethnic groups and populations, among other benefits.

Professor Agaie noted that in Nigeria, livestock accounts for more than 1/3 of the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria, providing income, employment, food, farm energy, manure, fuel, transport and social security.

According to him, added to these benefits are provisions of income, raw materials for local industries, financial services and investments opportunities.