Dr AbdulLateef Olugbon, Director of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Ilorin, says the ministry rescued 40 cows among the lot that ate from a fumigated rice farm on Saturday.
The veterinary expert disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Friday.
NAN recalls that 33 cows died after eating from the fumigated rice farm along Atere Road, Al-Hikmah University campus, at the boundary of CAILS, Ilorin.
The carcasses of the dead cows were allegedly distributed by certain people to butchers for sale.
However, in a swift response, the state government visited the closest market where the animals died and confiscated all the suspected meats for laboratory tests.
Recounting, Olugbon said the ministry got wind of the incident from a reliable source and immediately rushed to the scene, meeting the cows lying weak.
“We met five out of the cows already slaughtered before our arrival with the fear that they might die as a result of the poisoned crops.
“Forty other cows were still struggling for their lives, so we immediately carried them to the nearest abattoirs where they were treated and saved from death.
“The slaughtered animals were also carried away from the scene for tests and were confirmed unhealthy for consumption. They were cut open, chemicals were poured in them before being buried,” he said.
The director noted that members of staff from the veterinary services had been posted to all the state’s approved abattoirs to ensure safe and healthy distribution and sales of meat.
According to him, each abattoir has one veterinary doctor, one technologist and a livestock overseer to monitor the slaughtering of animals and prevent the sneaking of contaminated meat into the market.
“Our men in each abattoir are expected to be in the market from 6.30 a.m. to noon, during which the animals would be checked before slaughtering to ensure healthy meat for consumption,” he said.
Olugbon warned that any unregistered abattoir would be raided, and their meat confiscated, while butchers found selling contaminated meat would be prosecuted.