A blueprint to tackle public concern over herders in Nigerian states

1. State governments should conduct an exercise to identify all cattle in their domains by offering free computerized identity tags for all bovines

2. Each tag should identify cow, owner & herder in charge

3. All sale & slaughter of cattle should be recorded, & taxes collected

4. Any herd without tags (even from other states) or record of tax payment should be seized

5. Tax rebates should be offered to ranched cattle

6. Subsidized ranching facilities should be offered to herds

7. Opportunities for forage supply, manure sale, dairy facilities, & abattoir services should be offered from the subsidized ranches

8. Other agribusiness value chains such as leather collection & tanning, veterinary services, artificial insemination, etc should also be offered