Nebbi district is battling a surge in the spread of the suspected contagious caprine pleuro-pneumonia (CCPP), a highly contagious disease among goats. According to official figures reported to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, the disease has already claimed 14,650 goats, while 38,747 others are infected.
The authorities are concerned that this number could rise further, primarily due to traditional animal-rearing practices. Dr. William Abedkane, the Nebbi District Principal Veterinary Officer, says the onset of heavy rain can exacerbate the situation as the disease tends to spread faster during this period.
To combat the spread of CCPP, Dr. Abedkane advises farmers to adopt modern goat-rearing methods, which include using silage, providing proper feed, avoiding free-range grazing, and keeping goats under control.
Emmanuel Ongeitho, the Nebbi Municipal Assistant Veterinary Officer, points out that negligence among farmers during the dry season, such as failure to regularly spray their animals, exposes them to the disease.
Laura Atyeronimungu, an agriculturist in Nebbi municipality, emphasizes the importance of practicing good biosecurity, ensuring proper aeration, and prioritizing vaccination to protect the goat population. CCPP is a severe disease affecting goats and certain wild ruminant species, caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma capricolum subspecies capripneumonae.
Clinical signs of the disease include coughing, weakness, fever, difficulty breathing, and stringy saliva. The disease is known for its high morbidity rate, considered to be 100 percent, with a mortality rate ranging from 60 to 100 percent. To control the suspected CCPP outbreak, measures such as regular vaccination, restricting the movement of animals, and culling affected and exposed animals are essential.
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Goat farming has picked up in all rural areas of Uganda.
District vetenary together with agriculture officers have to leave their offices and crisscross all villages to get to know all animals in their areas to plan in advance remedial acts.
Parish Development Model can align with goat farming also.
Too local birds farm can change in status of earnings in homes if black soldier fly farming is too enabled in rural population this provides cheap protein to birds while end substrate is excellent organic fertilizer.