(a) State three ways in which each of the following factors hinders livestock production in West Africa: (i) breeding; (ii) nutrition; (iii) healthcare; (iv) government policy; (v) finance.
(b) Mention five factors that affect productivity of pastures.
(a) Ways in which the following factors hinder livestock production
(i) Breeding
- Inadequate know-how/techniques/skills/ knowledge for breeding
- Unavailability of improved breeds/presence of poor or low quality breeds
- Inability of improved breeds to adapt to the environment
- Inadequate breeders
- Little breeding work is done.
- Breeding of animal Is is expensive.
- Breeding of animals is time-consuming.
- Indigenous traits could be lost.
- Poor extension services
(ii) Nutrition
- Low quality/ poor pastures
- Competition between humans and animals for foodstuff
- Seasonality of forage
- Poor attitude towards establishment of pastures
- Inadequate supply of water
- Malnutrition/poor nutrition/under-nutrition
- Bad feed formulation
- High cost of feed and feedstuff
- Poor extension services
(iii) Healthcare - Inadequate know-how of health care management by the farmers
- High incidence of diseases
- High cost of pest/parasites
- High cost of drugs/vaccine/treatment
- Inadequate health care services/poor veterinary services/ inaccessibility or lack of standard health care services
- Poor vaccination ' preventive programmes
- Poor sanitation
- Poor implementation of quarantine regulation
- Poor extension services.
(iv) Government Policy
- Uncontrolled importation of animal products
- Political instability leading to unstable livestock and poultry policy
- High tax regimes double taxation on inputs
- Restriction of employment of extension officers
- Low allocation or resources to the livestock and poultry sector
- Poor implementation of livestock and poultry policy
- Poor extension services
(v) Finance
- High interest rate
- Inability of farmers to meet collateral requirements
- Difficulty in obtaining loan/credit
- High risk associated with livestock-and poultry production
- Most farmers are not credit worthy.
- Poor record keeping
- Poor/inadequate co-operative societies
- Lack of business plan/feasibility study
- Poor extension services
- Insufficient capital/ there is no money.
(b) Factors that affect productivity of pastures
- Climate/weather
- Soil
- Management practices/stocking rate
- Pests attack
- Seed type/ planting material
- Resistance to trampling/ tolerance
- Drought resistance
- Aggressiveness/ regenerating ability
- Diseases
- Compatibility of pastures
Contributions ({{ comment_count }})
Please wait...
Modal title
Report
Block User
{{ feedback_modal_data.title }}