Factors influencing small ruminant management in selected urban communities of Abeokuta, Ogun State

Abstract

The study on urban livestock production was conducted with a view to ascertaining the factors influencing small ruminants rearing in urban communities of Abeokuta. A total of 215 respondents were selected by snowballing for survey. Validated and reliable interview guide was used alongside field observations to obtain data on the respondents' socioeconomic characteristics, number of sheep and goats reared, factors influencing and constraining small ruminant production in urban areas. Analysis of obtained data showed that males (70.23%) dominated ownership of the reared animals. About 22.79% of the respondents had between 6 and 10 sheep and goats. Highly rated factors influencing small ruminant rearing by respondents include meat production for home consumption (100%), sales of animals for additional income generation (93.5%), keeping of the animals as strategy for income generation (89.3%) and for meeting households' contingencies (87.4%). Indicated constraining factors by all the respondents (100%) include high cost and difficulty of sourcing feeds and theft/losses of animals. The Chi-square analysis showed a significant relationship between the respondents' age (x2 = 23.01; df = 12), rearing experience (x2 = 31.11; df = 12), level of income (x2 = 29.68; df = 16) and determinants of small ruminants rearing (p < 0.05). The Pearson correlation test showed no significant relationship (p < 0.05) between the determinants of urban ruminant production and the constraining factors. It was concluded that urban sheep and goat rearing was seriously constraining by feed-related and thievery factors. With the resilience of the rearers to sustain their rearing venture for their socioeconomic benefits, the need to strengthen and educate them on managerial strategies for efficient and sustainable management of the small ruminant animals was thus recommended.