UYO – A veterinary doctor in Akwa Ibom, Udo Obot, has warned against the consumption of cattle with nodules on their skins, saying it was dangerous to human health.
Obot, the Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture in the state, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Sunday.
He said that cattle with rashes contained bacteria that could cause tuberculosis and should not be slaughtered for consumption.
He advised veterinary doctors and other officers in charge of abattoirs in the state to be very vigilant and ensure that such cattle were detected and isolated.
He said: “People should be very careful. Once you see rashes on the meat you want buy, call the attention of the veterinary officer.
“Cattle with tuberculosis nodules are not good for human consumption;
it is very difficult to kill the bacteria by boiling. Such meat needs to be discarded.
“So, I would advise that people should buy plain meat without rashes. They should consider the colour of the meet and ensure it is jelly-red and not dark-red.
Obot observed that some people ignorantly bought live cattle that they would not slaughter in abattoir for ceremonies.
He appealed to the people to always submit such cattle for inspection before killing them for consumption to avoid diseases.
The director, nonetheless, expressed concern about inadequate number of veterinary doctors in the state, appealing to the state government to employ more.
He also advised candidates seeking admission into universities to enroll for veterinary medicine, because of its importance to society and its viability as a profession. (NAN)
