1Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
2Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Management, Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Nigeria
For centuries, disease outbreak has posed a threat to livestock production. Corona virus disease, also known as COVID-19 is a novel disease that brought with it economic havoc and affected the livestock industry adversely. Animal Production and processing plants were heavily affected as a result of difficulty buying production inputs such as feed for animals, transportation of live animals including inter border crossing restrictions, assess to professional care, reduced workforce and decrease in supply of meat and meat products to the market. With the pandemic, importation and exportation of animals and livestock products were affected. There was reduction in the number of animals slaughtered daily and also a reduction in processing plant capacity across all species. Majority of workers in the livestock industry were infected with corona virus, which resulted to financial instability, loss of jobs as well as loss of animals. Better policies to reduce the economic loss through partial or full opening of both intra and interstate borders, providing funds to farmers, opening up processing plants and slaughtering houses will aid in cushioning the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livestock industry.
Animal, Corona virus, Disease, Pandemic
