At least 311 pigs in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, have died following an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) according to a report from Independent Nigeria.
A farmer and former Chairman of Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education, Chief Austin Igwe Edeze said he had lost 250 pigs to the virus. Another farmer, Mr Josephine Igwe told Independent’s correspondent that he lost 12 pigs.
The Ebonyi farmers Association has now banned the sale of pigs in the state, the Chairman of the Association, Chief Mike Udenwe stated this while briefing Journalists in Abakaliki, the State capital
Mr Udenwe said, “It is important to note that the population of domestic pigs in Ebonyi state is estimated at 50,000 with an estimated value of N8bn. It is also estimated that that direct and indirect employment of skilled and unskilled workforce in Ebonyi state pig value-chain is about five thousand workers, and the consumption of pork contributes about 30% protein to the food security formulae of the state.
“We have lost 311 pigs valued at about N10.5million. The African Swine fever has no cure, it has no vaccination or any drug for now but my advice to farmers is to maintain security.
“When we started early, we do invite our friends to come and see how our pigs look like. It looks like a zoo where every dick and harry go to see pig and the traders and the veterinary Doctors equally are the carriers of African swine fever.
“We have made a broadcast to stop sells of pigs for now so that pig farmers will not come to buy pigs from your farms because they carry the same vehicle, the same shoe, the same cloth, the same material they use to go to an affected farm to other farms. So, for now, no piggery farm visitation and if you are having a problem in your farm, try to curtail it.”
