The livestock industry as an important component of general agriculture is expected to be a key contributor to national development. This study analyzes the livestock production trends in Nigeria with a view to ascertaining the influence of policy changes on real output of livestock over time, and investigates the existence of acceleration, stagnation or deceleration in growth of livestock production at different periods. Secondary data on real production for the 1970-2005 periods were obtained from the publications of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Annual compound growth indices were calculated from the estimated trend equations while existence of acceleration, stagnation or deceleration in growth was investigated using quadratic equations in the time trend variables of the livestock production data. Results reveal that the growth rate, which was less than 1% per annum during the 1970-1985 pre-SAP period increased to 6.44% and 8.92% per annum respectively during the 1986-1998 SAP and 1999-2005 post-SAP eras. The compound growth rate was computed as 4.83% per annum during the entire period under study. Presence of statistical significant acceleration (p<0.01) was found during the entire 1970-2005 period. However, whereas the 1986-1998 period recorded statistical significant deceleration (p<0.01), the periods 1970-1985 and 1999-2005 had confirmed cases of stagnation. The study suggests that for deregulation policy to result to desired accelerated growth in livestock production it should be accompanied by relevant farm support policies, like provision of accessible credit and subsidization of agricultural inputs, to produce the desired multiplier effects on agriculture and food production.
In a 6-week feeding trial, Vernonia amygdaliana leaf meat (VaLM) was tested as a dietary ingredient in broiler starter diets. The diets comprised VaLM included at Og (diet 1), 50g per kg basal diet (incorporated at the expense of groundnut cake and wheat ofsals - diets 2 and 3 respectively) and 100g per kg basal diet (incorporated at the expense of groundnut cake -- diet 4). During the study, parameters such as characteristics, blood parameters, histopathology of some organs (liver, kidney, lungs, heat, gizzard and pancreas) and carcass characteristics were investigated. Birds fed on VaLM - based diets performed poorly, the effects of the diet being more pronounced on those fed diet 4. Addition of VaLM to poultry feed significantly (P<0.05) reduced feed intake and weight gain of experimental birds. Blood cellular constituents decreased significantly (p<0.05) in birds fed VaLM-based diets and there were serious histopathological changes within the liver, kidney, lungs, heart, gizzard and pancreas.
This study examines effects of privately producing layers mash by including such non-conventional feedstuff as cassava, brewers dried grain, etc on the productivity, cost and profit of poultry (eggs) farms. Primary data was collected from three categories of farms -12 "conventional feedstuff users" (CFU), 24 "non-conventional feedstuff users" (NCFU) and 10 Animal Care concentrate users" (ACCU) found in a sample survey of 46 private feed using farms in Egbeda and Lagelu Local Government area of Ibadan. Estimates of their production, total variable cost and profit functions obtained by ordinary least squares as well as analyses of variance conducted on their production and cost statistics revealed that no sufficient evidence exists to suggest that productivity levels differ across the three categories of farms, but NCFU significantly lower average cost and more profits per trm of eggs produced than the CFU. No sufficient evidence, however, exists to suggest that ACCU had any significantly different cost or profit per tray of eggs produced from those of CFU.
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