SURVEY OF CATTLE PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN IBADAN, NIGERIA
Authors: Taiwo A. A. , Fajimi A. K. , Raji M. A. , Adebowale F. T , Ajayi F. T , Oke I. O. , Afon G. O. 
Published: February 2021

A survey was conducted on cattle production practices in Ibadan, Nigeria Fifty cattle farmers were purposively sampled. Structured questionnaire containing information on personal characteristics, farm history and breeds of cattle reared, management and health practices, influence of technology, constraints to cattle production and suggested solutions were administered on cattle farmers in both urban and peri-urban areas of Ibadan, between February to April 2004. Data obtained were analysed by simple statistics. The survey revealed that cattle production is now increasingly being embarked upon by farmers in Ibadan as a complementary form of income to other types of livestock enterprises. It contributed between 2-85% with a mean of 36.6% to the income of the farmers. It is a male dominated (80%) profession with many of the farmers being educated (60%), having one wife (56%) and majority  (62%) of them were in the age group 31 – 60years. Majority (86%) of the cattle farms where based in the peri-urban area of Ibadan and only 24% of the cattle farmers also engaged in cropping activities. The study also revealed that many of the farmers (82%) reared Sokoto Gudali breed of cattle. The breed constituted the highest number of cattle reared (48.14%). Forty percent of the farmers had small herd size (1-10 heads of cattle). On the average, the herds comprised slightly more cows (43.91%) than bulls (36.88%). Some of the cattle farmers (14-28%) also reared other types of livestock such as sheep, goats, poultry, pigs and fish. Majority of the farmers (56%) engaged in cattle production for monetary/commercial reasons and employed Fulanis (46%) as herdsmen to graze the animals. A small number of them (6%) also keep cattle as a means of utilizing feed-mill waste and graze grasses around fishponds as a means of reducing labour cost. The farmers has experience in cattle rearing varying from 1 to 35years. Majority of the farmers (56%) pay cash only to the herdsmen as a means of reward for their labout. Many of the farmers offered supplementary feed ot their cattle especially in the dry season. However, only fourteen percent (14%) of them provided standard housing for their animals. It has been found from this study that helminthiasis was the most important health problem confronting the cattle. Also 26% of the farmers reported tsetse flies infestation as mild problem. The study showed that the average morbidity and mortality rates among the cattle were 19% and 8% respectively. The study also showed that appreciable percentage (44%) of the farmers make use of veterinary services in the treatment of their animals and observed quarantine period (45%) when bringing in new animals into their herds. The farmers ranked limited capital (33%). Shortage of grazing land (16%) and inadequate knowledge of farmers (14.94%) as the three most pressing problems associated with cattle production. They also proffered provision of soft loan by the government (34.33%), training of farmers (25.37%) and availability of grazing land (16.42%) as the most urgent solutions to the problems highlighted.