From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna
Niger state government has taken the delivery of 72 imported young South African Cattle meant for dairy products and meat as well as 700 Boar Goats and Doper indigenous South African Sheep that can well adapt to the dry climate, especially as it obtains in northern Nigeria.
Taking the delivery of the animals in Tagwai Dam, near Minna, the state capital on Tuesday, a South African supplier and Veterinary Doctor, Dr. Herman de Bruin were both the state Commissioner for Livestock and Fisheries, Dr. Yahaya Isah Vatsa and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Hannah Gogo Lanko among other top officials of the ministry.
Dr. Vatsa, during the handing over of the animals said presently, the state have 700 of the goats and sheep and 72 of the cattle of different species, which the journalists were told they can survive in the state’s environment as well as in the northern parts of the country.
Speaking further, he said the importers had also made some provision for the likelihood of any mortality replacement because the state government was keen on making sure that these animals get across to all nooks and crannies of Niger state, with the view to getting people to breed them in order to multiply so that it would eventually improve on the already existing local breeds in the state.
The Commissioner further said that basically, the animals would be sold to interested buyers from the state at subsidized rates and at the cost price it obtained in Southern Africa, while the government was not going to charge the buyers extra fees like the transport or Customs duty and other charges that were accrued to the importation of the young animals into the country.
“We urged those who had booked for them to come and pick them while those who are interested in them to come and buy them and take them to their various locations. And by and large, we also have a team of Veterinary Doctors that will closely monitor them for any form of care or any diseases that might come up later.
“It is also important for people to know that these animals have been immunized against the common and dangerous diseases we have in our environment; likewise the diseases that are common in South Africa, because they have been immunized against them”, he said.
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