KISORO, UGANDA – Authorities in Kisoro District have issued a high alert, urging farmers to seek professional veterinary help immediately following a suspected outbreak of the contagious and fatal goat disease, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR).
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The District Animal Husbandry Officer, Tadeo Habiyaremye, confirmed the development, revealing that cases have already been identified in the sub-counties of Nyakabande and Kanaba.
Habiyaremye warned that PPR is a severe and fatal threat to goats if not treated early, voicing concern that farmers often fail to identify the disease in time, leading to devastating consequences.
“A major challenge we face is that many farmers fail to identify the disease in time. When they attempt to treat their animals without professional guidance, the animals often die,” Habiyaremye stated.
Cue in: Habiyaremye on Farmers. RR
The officer advised farmers to watch for a combination of symptoms, including persistent coughing, a significant loss of appetite, general weakness and lethargy, and visible changes in the animal’s coat.
“The disease presents clear symptoms such as coughing, loss of appetite, weakness, and a change in the coat. It is critical that farmers act immediately upon noticing these signs,” Habiyaremye added.
Cue in: Habiyaremye on Symptoms. RR
The primary strategy is to encourage immediate reporting to ensure that infected animals are professionally treated and affected herds are quarantined to prevent further transmission across the district.
Amid fears within the livestock-dependent agricultural community, authorities stress that farmer vigilance and cooperation with veterinary officials are the most effective ways to combat the spread of the suspected PPR outbreak.
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