Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh; Mahmud Emkay Sesay; Fatmata Sheriff; Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

| Peer-Reviewed

Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh, Mahmud Emkay Sesay, Fatmata Sheriff, Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay

Published in American Journal of Zoology (Volume 3, Issue 3)

Received: 21 September 2020 Accepted: 6 October 2020 Published: 11 December 2020

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

Small ruminant production is an important animal husbandry practices practiced in developing countries including Sierra Leone. This current study was conducted in the Southern Part of Sierra Leone (Moyamba District) to investigate Small Ruminant Production (SRP) at the free-range management system concerning household contributions, practices, and challenges. Data were collected from 192 respondents using a well-structured pretested questionnaire. This was administered randomly to 6 selected chiefdoms in the Moyamba District. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics for mean, frequencies, and percentages. The results of the study showed that 60.4% of the respondents were male whilst 39.6% were females. 80.7% were married, 49.0% were illiterate and 74.0% were unemployed. Household demands were reported as the main purpose for keeping goat and sheep followed by traditional practices, income generation, religious ceremonies, and manure for vegetable production. 67.7% and 89.1% provided supplementary feed and water for their animals respectively. The majority of the respondents (81.8%) built separate shelters whilst the remaining farmers either shared dwelling houses with their animals (25.7%) or did not confine them (18.2%). Disease outbreaks such as [mange, Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), diarrhea, respiratory infections, foot rot, and bloat]; uncontrolled theft; poor market facility; damage; and inadequate animal healthcare services among others were the major constraints reported by farmers. It was concluded that production management practices were mainly done at the traditional level using traditional knowledge and skills with little or no modern input hence low-output. The study therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should implement multi-sectorial interventions to provide the pre-requisite assistant to the farmers which can help to combat the multiple challenges affecting small production in the study area.

Published in	American Journal of Zoology (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
Page(s)	57-64
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Challenge, Disease, Livelihood, Marketing, Mortality, Small Ruminant

References

[1]	Thornton PK. (2010). Livestock production: recent trends, future prospects. Philos Tans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 365 (1554): 2853-2867.
[2]	Abdle Aziz M, (2010). Present status of the world goat populations and their productivity. Lohmann Information, 45 (2), p. 42.
[3]	ILRI, (2008). A global change dialogue on women and livestock. www.ilri.org/Links/Files/Innovationworks/preospectus_Womenlivestock_Global_Challenge.
[4]	Waters-Bayer, A. and Letty, B. (2010). Promoting gender equality and empowering women through livestock.
[5]	Kusiluka, L., and Kambarage, D. (1996). Diseases of small ruminants. Common diseases of goats and sheep in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Handbook.
[6]	Herrero, M., Grace, D., Njuki, J., Johnson, N., Enahoro, D., Silvestri, S., and Rufino, M. C. 2012. The roles of livestock in developing countries. ILRI, vol. 7 (1): 3-18. Doi: 10.1017/51751731112001954.
[7]	Statistics Sierra Leone (SSL), (2015). Population and Housing Census.
[8]	Sierra Leone Staple Food Market Fundamentals (SLSFMF (2017). Famine Early Warning Systems Network, USAID.
[9]	Ibrahim JS, (2011). Agriculture and rural development statistics in Sierra Leone – Key aspects of institutional arrangements & performance. www.fao.org.
[10]	Kwaku A, (2017). Sierra Leone national livestock sample survey, FAO, Sierra Leone.
[11]	Masson, I. L. (1996). A world dictionary of livestock breeds, types and varieties. Fourth edition. C. A. B. International. 273 pp.
[12]	Conteh, A. M., Moiforay, S. K., Sesay, A. R., and Kallon, S. (2020). Knowledge, attitudes and practices of goats and sheep farmers towards mange disease and control measures. A rural survey in Moyamba District, Southern Sierra Leone. Middle East Journal of Applied Science & Technology, vol. 3 (1): 63-74.
[13]	Conteh, A. M., Kallon, M. N., Jojo, H. D., Sesay, A. R., and Bundu, W. T. (2010). Survey on small ruminant production against peste des petits ruminant in Moyamba and Kailahun Districts, Sierra Leone. International Journal of Research-Granthaalayah, vol. 8 (2): 2350-0530.
[14]	Korsor M, (2011). An investigation into the potential contribution of small ruminants production to rural livelihood in Lofa County, Liberia, a case study of Voinjama, Kalahun and Foya Districts. M. Sc, Thesis in the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Namibia.
[15]	Tekle Y, Ftiwi M, and Tassew A. (2018). Small ruminant production and constraints in Lnafuro Woreda, Southern Ethiopia. Journal of Zoological Sciences, 6 (1): 2347-2294.
[16]	Maass BL, Musale DK, Chiuri WL, Gassner A. (2012). Challenges and opportunities for smallholder livestock production in post conflict South Kivu, eastern DR Congo. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 44 (6): 1221-1232.
[17]	Suluku R, Macavoray A, Moiwo JP, and Koroma BM. (2018). Effect of Peste des Petits Ruminant disease on socio-economic characteristics of farmers in Moyamba District, Sierra Leone. Agricultural Science Research Journal, 8 (7): 149-158.
[18]	Charles B, Oluka, J, and Olinga S. (2015). Socio-economic aspects of goat production in rural agro-pastoral system of Uganda. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 3 (6): 203-210. http://www.hrpub.org.
[19]	Ajala MK, Lamidi OS, and Otaru SM. (2008). Peri-urban small ruminant production in Northern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 3 (3): 138-146.
[20]	Gizaw S, Getachew T, Edea Z, Mirkena GD, Tibbo M, Rischkowsky B, Mwai O, Dessie T, Wurzinger M, Solkner J, and Haile A. (2013). Characterization of indigenous breeding strategies of the sheep farming communities in Ethiopia. a basis for designing community-based breeding programs. ICARDA working paper, Aleppo, Syria. 47pp.
[21]	Manzi M, Mutabazi J, Hirwa CD, and Kugonza DR. (2013). Socio-economic assessment of indigenous goat production system in rural areas of Bugesera District in Rwanda. Livestock research for Rural Development, 25 (11): 2013.
[22]	Sisay T, Vijchulata P, Chairatanayuth P, and swasdiphanich S. (2006). Assessment of small ruminant management practices in JijigaandShinile Zones of Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. Kasetsart Journal (Nat. Sci.) 40: 987-999.
[23]	Adama K, Amaduo T, Isidoro G, Man N, Hamiduo TH, and Gaston BAM. (2011). Constraints of small ruminant production among farming systems in peri-urban area of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (West Africa). Advances in Applied Science Research, 2 (6): 588-594. www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com.
[24]	Isaac BO, and Titilayo O. (2012). Small ruminants as a source of financial security: a case study of women in rural southwest Nigeria. Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion, working paper.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh, Mahmud Emkay Sesay, Fatmata Sheriff, Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. (2020). Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. American Journal of Zoology, 3(3), 57-64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh; Mahmud Emkay Sesay; Fatmata Sheriff; Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. Am. J. Zool. 2020, 3(3), 57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh, Mahmud Emkay Sesay, Fatmata Sheriff, Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. Am J Zool. 2020;3(3):57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12,
  author = {Abdulai Mahmood Conteh and Mahmud Emkay Sesay and Fatmata Sheriff and Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay},
  title = {Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone},
  journal = {American Journal of Zoology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {3},
  pages = {57-64},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajz.20200303.12},
  abstract = {Small ruminant production is an important animal husbandry practices practiced in developing countries including Sierra Leone. This current study was conducted in the Southern Part of Sierra Leone (Moyamba District) to investigate Small Ruminant Production (SRP) at the free-range management system concerning household contributions, practices, and challenges. Data were collected from 192 respondents using a well-structured pretested questionnaire. This was administered randomly to 6 selected chiefdoms in the Moyamba District. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics for mean, frequencies, and percentages. The results of the study showed that 60.4% of the respondents were male whilst 39.6% were females. 80.7% were married, 49.0% were illiterate and 74.0% were unemployed. Household demands were reported as the main purpose for keeping goat and sheep followed by traditional practices, income generation, religious ceremonies, and manure for vegetable production. 67.7% and 89.1% provided supplementary feed and water for their animals respectively. The majority of the respondents (81.8%) built separate shelters whilst the remaining farmers either shared dwelling houses with their animals (25.7%) or did not confine them (18.2%). Disease outbreaks such as [mange, Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), diarrhea, respiratory infections, foot rot, and bloat]; uncontrolled theft; poor market facility; damage; and inadequate animal healthcare services among others were the major constraints reported by farmers. It was concluded that production management practices were mainly done at the traditional level using traditional knowledge and skills with little or no modern input hence low-output. The study therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should implement multi-sectorial interventions to provide the pre-requisite assistant to the farmers which can help to combat the multiple challenges affecting small production in the study area.},
 year = {2020}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone
AU  - Abdulai Mahmood Conteh
AU  - Mahmud Emkay Sesay
AU  - Fatmata Sheriff
AU  - Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay
Y1  - 2020/12/11
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
T2  - American Journal of Zoology
JF  - American Journal of Zoology
JO  - American Journal of Zoology
SP  - 57
EP  - 64
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2994-7413
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
AB  - Small ruminant production is an important animal husbandry practices practiced in developing countries including Sierra Leone. This current study was conducted in the Southern Part of Sierra Leone (Moyamba District) to investigate Small Ruminant Production (SRP) at the free-range management system concerning household contributions, practices, and challenges. Data were collected from 192 respondents using a well-structured pretested questionnaire. This was administered randomly to 6 selected chiefdoms in the Moyamba District. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics for mean, frequencies, and percentages. The results of the study showed that 60.4% of the respondents were male whilst 39.6% were females. 80.7% were married, 49.0% were illiterate and 74.0% were unemployed. Household demands were reported as the main purpose for keeping goat and sheep followed by traditional practices, income generation, religious ceremonies, and manure for vegetable production. 67.7% and 89.1% provided supplementary feed and water for their animals respectively. The majority of the respondents (81.8%) built separate shelters whilst the remaining farmers either shared dwelling houses with their animals (25.7%) or did not confine them (18.2%). Disease outbreaks such as [mange, Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), diarrhea, respiratory infections, foot rot, and bloat]; uncontrolled theft; poor market facility; damage; and inadequate animal healthcare services among others were the major constraints reported by farmers. It was concluded that production management practices were mainly done at the traditional level using traditional knowledge and skills with little or no modern input hence low-output. The study therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should implement multi-sectorial interventions to provide the pre-requisite assistant to the farmers which can help to combat the multiple challenges affecting small production in the study area.
VL  - 3
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh

Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Mahmud Emkay Sesay

Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Fatmata Sheriff

Institute of Food Technology, Nutrition and Consumer Studies, School of Agriculture and Home Economics, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay

Department of Agriculture and Home Economics Education, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh, Mahmud Emkay Sesay, Fatmata Sheriff, Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. (2020). Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. American Journal of Zoology, 3(3), 57-64. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh; Mahmud Emkay Sesay; Fatmata Sheriff; Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. Am. J. Zool. 2020, 3(3), 57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Abdulai Mahmood Conteh, Mahmud Emkay Sesay, Fatmata Sheriff, Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay. Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone. Am J Zool. 2020;3(3):57-64. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12,
  author = {Abdulai Mahmood Conteh and Mahmud Emkay Sesay and Fatmata Sheriff and Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay},
  title = {Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone},
  journal = {American Journal of Zoology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {3},
  pages = {57-64},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajz.20200303.12},
  abstract = {Small ruminant production is an important animal husbandry practices practiced in developing countries including Sierra Leone. This current study was conducted in the Southern Part of Sierra Leone (Moyamba District) to investigate Small Ruminant Production (SRP) at the free-range management system concerning household contributions, practices, and challenges. Data were collected from 192 respondents using a well-structured pretested questionnaire. This was administered randomly to 6 selected chiefdoms in the Moyamba District. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics for mean, frequencies, and percentages. The results of the study showed that 60.4% of the respondents were male whilst 39.6% were females. 80.7% were married, 49.0% were illiterate and 74.0% were unemployed. Household demands were reported as the main purpose for keeping goat and sheep followed by traditional practices, income generation, religious ceremonies, and manure for vegetable production. 67.7% and 89.1% provided supplementary feed and water for their animals respectively. The majority of the respondents (81.8%) built separate shelters whilst the remaining farmers either shared dwelling houses with their animals (25.7%) or did not confine them (18.2%). Disease outbreaks such as [mange, Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), diarrhea, respiratory infections, foot rot, and bloat]; uncontrolled theft; poor market facility; damage; and inadequate animal healthcare services among others were the major constraints reported by farmers. It was concluded that production management practices were mainly done at the traditional level using traditional knowledge and skills with little or no modern input hence low-output. The study therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should implement multi-sectorial interventions to provide the pre-requisite assistant to the farmers which can help to combat the multiple challenges affecting small production in the study area.},
 year = {2020}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Small Ruminant Production: Contributions, Management Practices and Challenges at Traditional Level in Rural Areas of Sierra Leone
AU  - Abdulai Mahmood Conteh
AU  - Mahmud Emkay Sesay
AU  - Fatmata Sheriff
AU  - Marion Macorthor Maltina Sesay
Y1  - 2020/12/11
PY  - 2020
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
T2  - American Journal of Zoology
JF  - American Journal of Zoology
JO  - American Journal of Zoology
SP  - 57
EP  - 64
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2994-7413
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20200303.12
AB  - Small ruminant production is an important animal husbandry practices practiced in developing countries including Sierra Leone. This current study was conducted in the Southern Part of Sierra Leone (Moyamba District) to investigate Small Ruminant Production (SRP) at the free-range management system concerning household contributions, practices, and challenges. Data were collected from 192 respondents using a well-structured pretested questionnaire. This was administered randomly to 6 selected chiefdoms in the Moyamba District. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics for mean, frequencies, and percentages. The results of the study showed that 60.4% of the respondents were male whilst 39.6% were females. 80.7% were married, 49.0% were illiterate and 74.0% were unemployed. Household demands were reported as the main purpose for keeping goat and sheep followed by traditional practices, income generation, religious ceremonies, and manure for vegetable production. 67.7% and 89.1% provided supplementary feed and water for their animals respectively. The majority of the respondents (81.8%) built separate shelters whilst the remaining farmers either shared dwelling houses with their animals (25.7%) or did not confine them (18.2%). Disease outbreaks such as [mange, Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), diarrhea, respiratory infections, foot rot, and bloat]; uncontrolled theft; poor market facility; damage; and inadequate animal healthcare services among others were the major constraints reported by farmers. It was concluded that production management practices were mainly done at the traditional level using traditional knowledge and skills with little or no modern input hence low-output. The study therefore recommended that government and non-governmental organizations should implement multi-sectorial interventions to provide the pre-requisite assistant to the farmers which can help to combat the multiple challenges affecting small production in the study area.
VL  - 3
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download