10/11/2025
IT TAKES MORE THAN VACCINES TO DEFEAT HARMATTAN. IT TAKES FARM WISDOM!
Harmattan has started blowing, and if you have been around farms long enough, you already know this season doesn’t joke. The air is dry, the ground is dusty, the morning is cold, and the animals are breathing smoke like exhaust pipe. This is not the time for pride oo, it’s time for sense and management.
Many farmers think once they have vaccinated, the work is done. No, my brother, vaccination alone won’t save your herd because harmattan needs wisdom too. The cold and dust can still bring dōwn a strong animal if you don’t handle them right.
Start every morning by warming your kraal area a little. Lighting a small fīre with dry wood is not a village practice but t’s wisdom. Cattle love to stand around it, and the warm air helps clear their chests from the early morning chill. Goats and sheep also gather close to such warmth, it relaxes their body and prevents pneum0nia from entering through cold air.
Don’t rush to release your animals early in the morning when the cold is still thick. Wait until the sun has shown small. The early morning dust carries infectīons. If you watch closely, you’ll notice some animals coughing after grazing along dusty paths, that’s how respiratory dīseāses start.
At night, cover your kraal or shed against direct wind. Even palm fronds, mats, or sacks can block that cold breeze that enters their lungs. Spread dry bedding or grass under them, especially for small ruminants and young calves. Harmattan is not their friend.
Now let’s talk about vaccination, yes, it’s still important. If you haven’t vaccinated yet, do it before harmattan bites harder.
For cattle, vaccinate against Black Quarter (BQ), CBPP, Anthrax, and Lumpy Skin Disēase.
For sheep and goats, go for PPR and Sheep Pox. These are the real enēmies that love this dry, dusty weather.
And please, don’t forget deworming. Many people only deworm at the beginning of rainy season, but harmattan is another perfect time to do it. Why? Because most animals have picked up worms from drinking stagnant water or grazing on dry, short grass full of larvae. Deworming now helps them absorb nutrients better and stay strong through the dry months. You can use Albendazole, Levamisole, or Ivermectin. Hmmm, whichever is available and recommended by your vet.
After vaccination and deworming, always keep basic drugs close: Oxytetracycline or Tylosin for cough and infēctions, Penstrep for wounds or fever, Multivitamin injection to boost appetite and strength, and glucose or rehydration powder for weāk animals. These simple things can save your investment when a vet is far away.
Harmattan is not an enēmy, it’s just a teacher. It tests how prepared and observant you are. Watch your animals every day, the one that isolates itself, breathes fast, or refuses feed needs quick attention. Don’t say “it will get better.” Early treatment is cheaper than regret.
At the end of the day, the smart farmer survives harmattan not by luck but by wisdom, care, and timely action.
: alhajiyunuslivestock
