Abia State Government has advised residents to desist from eating cow lungs in order not to contract Bovine Tuberculosis, which has been found in some slaughtered cows in the State.
Ikechi Mgboji, the State’s Commissioner for Agriculture gave the warning, Tuesday, in a telephone interview, noting that officials of the ministry discovered that some cows brought into the State about 2 weeks ago, were infected with “Bovine Tuberculosis”, a cow disease, which affects cow lungs.
Bovine Tuberculosis is a chronic animal disease; caused by a bacteria called “Mycobacterium Bovis” (M.bovis) related to the bacteria, causing avian and human tuberculosis and can affect all mammals.
The disease causes a general state of illness manifesting later with coughing and resulting in the eventual death of the affected mammal.
Read also: Amid COVID-19, experts worry over poor awareness on tuberculosis in Nigeria
“Part of our work in this ministry is that any cow offered for public consumption is usually examined, by veterinary doctors.
“Two of such cows slaughtered about 2-weeks ago, were found to have Bovine Tuberculosis (M.bovine) and there is no way to know a cow with such a disease unless they are either killed or tested.
“So, we decided to alert people, who eat beef to stop eating the lungs of cows for now, but they may eat the flesh.
“They should stop eating that particular organ for now until we are able to determine if it is an exceptional case or a prevalent case”, the commissioner stated.
Mgboji, professor of Law, explained that his ministry has alerted all Veterinary Doctors, who operate at the abattoirs in the state, to watch out for such disease manifestation to determine its spread and safeguard lives.
He also noted that the ministry has alerted cow dealers in the State, to be aware of the discovery and to allow their cows to be tested to safeguard the lives of beef consumers.
He lamented that cow dealers have not been showing interest in having their cows tested to determine their fitness for human consumption, stressing that their quest for profit is a threat to human health.
“The Board of Internal Revenue is sending touts to inspect meat and get the money and I ask, how can a tout, who has no training in veterinary medicine inspect meat in abattoirs.
“That is what we find in Nigeria and when you speak you make enemies unnecessarily for yourself.
“When you have the BIR engaging touts to get money for them, it makes our work difficult, but in spite of all that, we will do our best to safeguard lives of residents,” he promised.
