Lagos, March 6, 2026 (NAN) A livestock diagnostic expert, Mr Femi Dairo, has called on livestock farmers to ensure appropriate application of antibiotics and drugs to prevent rejection during exports.
Dairo, the Chief Executive Officer of Rid Agri Ltd., and Business Head Rid Labs, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The expert said the reason for the rejection of Nigerian animal produce at international borders was due to non-compliance with international best practices before exports.
“As it is, some of our animal produce are sent back to the country due to some international best practice standards we did not meet.
“We recently had a meeting with some farmers who are responsible for the production of fingerlings.
“We train farmers on how to apply antibiotics, when antibiotics are used on the animals from their early years, they build resistance to these drugs.
“Some drugs our farmers use on their livestock have actually been banned from use in animal farms, but we are using it regardless.
“Cholestin is one drug that is used indiscriminately in livestock farming, this cholestin is responsible for the treatment of sepsis in neonatal wards,” the expert said.
The expert attributed the use of banned antibiotics in Nigeria by farmers to lack of visible enforcement.
He urged the three tiers of government to ensure strict enforcement and compliance and punishment of erring formers.
Dairo, however, urged the livestock farmers to play by the rules in cultivating safe and quality food for local and export purposes.
“Our counsel to farmers is to ensure that they don’t use drugs when not needed. And they must also ensure that they observe withdrawal period for the animals before considering them for exports.
“For example, for fish farmers, if you are treating your fish within the first 21 to 52 days depending on the class of antibiotics or the drug you have used, you shouldn’t sell that fish.
“We have found people selling their livestock still under treatment. What this does is that it mixes the protein with the residue of the drugs.
“And then some of these produce are also carrying resistant pathogens which are harmful to human health hence the rejection at international borders.
“So, we are saying farmers should learn to observe these things, because of this antibiotic in our exported animal produce, a recent report included Nigeria as one of the countries banned from exporting eggs into Saudi Arabia,” Dairo said.
He urged farmers to produce quality and safer foods to ensure a healthy population.
“Asides our animal produce being fit for exports, we also deserve to eat good food. We also must be able to produce quality food and safer foods for our society.
“Even if our focus is not to export, which is good to export quality produce but Nigerians also deserve to eat good food.
“So, it is for us to continue to educate farmers on the right use of these medications on our livestock. We have a responsibility to do that.
“We are struggling to do so because we are trying to change a long-standing mind-set. There will be new entrants into the farming who may be 23 today, who will be 35 in a couple of years.
“So, we are also investing in them, shaping the way we look at the farming business engaging in the best practices for the sector’s growth,” he said. (NAN)
