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Production practices of Local pig farmers in Ghana

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Aryee, Sethlina 
Osei-Amponsah, Richard 
Owusu Adjei, Dennis 
Ahunu, Benjamin Kwadjo 

Abstract

Local pig production is of economic, nutritional and socio-cultural importance to livelihoods in Ghana. Data was collected from 176 local pig farmers in four regions of Ghana using pretested structured questionnaire. Majority of the farmers interviewed were males over 30 years and kept crossbred pigs (64%) with income (95%) as their main motivation. In terms of housing for the pigs, most farmers use sheds (39%), about a third had permanent structures (34%), whilst the rest (22%) use stalls with a few keeping their animals in their yards (2%) or having no housing facility (2%) at all. Growth rate of pigs was the most important trait (49%) for the farmers compared to aesthetic traits like coat colour or ear orientation. Majority of the farmers (90%) acquired their breeding stock from family, friends and the open market with only 10% acquiring breeding stock from government breeding stations. Local pig production in the study area was characterised as semi-intensive with huge opportunities for stakeholders to make interventions in provision of improved breeds, housing, feeding and veterinary care to boost local pig production.

Description

Keywords

Journal Title

International Journal of Livestock Production

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2141-2448
2141-2448

Volume Title

10

Publisher

Academic Journals