Peceli Naviticoko 
[File Photo]
The Ministry of Agriculture continues to maintain and prioritize its TB and brucellosis testing program in livestock farming based on the recent cases of the disease in cattle and other livestock.
This has been confirmed by the Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Tomasi Tunabuna, as the disease was in fact a contributing factor in low productivity in dairy.
He says that testing has also been extended to areas that do not practice dairy farming, including the Northern and Western Division.
As the Ministry is also working on sources of replacement stock for the dairy sector from this area.
“It was part of the cause of our decrease in number because we had to test and remove the infected cattle. We had a very efficient and effective TB testing program, which was identifying and removing diseased animals.”
He says that the Ministry is also working on healthy farming management practices for farmers and officers for the overall productivity of the agriculture sector in Fiji.
While hoping that more farmers will take the initiative to reach out to livestock officers in their nearest agriculture station for signs and symptoms of the diseases.
