Mungwi Vet Warns Against Pork Consumption

ZAMBIA - The department of veterinary and livestock development in Mungwi district has cautioned the public against consuming pork sold by unscrupulous people to avoid poisoning.
calendar icon 25 November 2009
clock icon 3 minute read

District veterinary officer Stephen Tembo said this in the wake of a spate of thefts in the district involving pigs being administered with an unknown chemical during thefts.

The unknown chemical paralyses and silences the animal making it easy for the robbers to slaughter it without alerting the owners, according to Lusakatimes.com.

Yesterday, a piggery was raided at a farm in Mungwi and the pig was paralysed with a suspected dangerous chemical before being hauled after removal of its intestines.

Dr Tembo warned the public against consuming the pork because it was not certain whether the chemicals used to make the pigs unconscious is poisonous or not.

He says the effects of consuming uninspected pork could be devastating in the long term because there is a risk of contracting diseases.

Dr Tembo said that even other consumers in districts such as Kasama and surrounding areas should be on high alert because stolen carcasses of pigs also end up there.

Dr Tembo added that he blamed livestock owners in Mungwi district for their failure to secure their animals and prevent them from being stolen.

He has urged farmers to build strong piggeries for their animals to be fully secured to avoid unnecessary thefts.

Dr Tembo also advised livestock owners to organize themselves and form crime committees as one way of curbing livestock thefts in their respective places.

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