SOCIO-CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SMALLHOLDER PIG FARMERS AND THEIR FEED INGREDIENTS USE APPROACHES AT PERI-URBAN AND RURAL FARMING LOCATIONS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined the socio-cultural characteristics of small holder pig farmers and their feed ingredients use approaches at two locations in Imo state, Nigeria. Primary data were generated with the aid of a structured questionnaires. The farmers were mostly males (93.75%) aged between 31-60 years (71%), married (78.13%) and mostly educated at secondary level (50%) and tertiary (40.63%). About 92% of these farmers were not educated in agricultural disciplines, with about 57% haven been in the business for the past 10 years on fulltime basis (68.70%). Majority (65.63%) of the farmers formulated their own diets, with PKC (100%), maize offal (71.88%), maize (59.38%) palm oil sludge and cassava tuber (43.95% each) constituting the major energy feed ingredients used, while blood meal (78.32%), soybean meal (65.63%), groundnuts and cowpea (53.13%each) constituted  the major protein raw material used. Popular fibre materials were cassava peels (75%), yam peels (71.88%), plantain peels (65.63%) and plant leaves (53.13%). The present results highlight the need for further studies on the local feed ingredients utilization practices of these farmers.