Survey on the Use and Management of Animal Traction Technology by Farmers in some selected Local Government Areas of Gombe State, Northeast Nigeria

Nuratu Adamu, Mohammed Abubakar, Khadija Bello Musa, Ahmad Set'le Muhammad

Abstract


A study was conducted to examine the use and management of animal traction in Gombe State, Northeastern, Nigeria. The study was carried out in six out of the eleven Local Government Areas of Gombe State. Twenty five (25) farmers were randomly selected from each local government area, making a total of 150 farmers.  Data were collected by use of structured questionnaires and information were generated on the types and breeds of animals used for traction, production systems employed, supplementary feeding of the draught animals, methods of land acquisition, size of farmlands under cultivation, years of animal traction experience, preference of animals among others. The results showed that most of the respondents used bulls (96.6%) for their farming operations and the most preferred breed was Bunaji (91.3%) and 76.0% of the respondents acquired their farmlands through inheritance. The result showed that subsistence farming was the most practiced farming system (34.0%) in the study area on land areas of 1-5 hectares (72.0%). Also, majority of the respondents provided supplementary feeding to their animals (68.6%) and have 6-10 years of traction experience (40.0%). Most of the farmers (83.3) preferred draught power to tractors due to their availability and affordability in the area. It is concluded that farmers in the study area preferred draught animal power to tractors for their farming operations. 


Full Text:

PDF

References


Abubakar, M., Kalla, D.J.U., Ngele, M.B. (2006). Characteristics, Management and Use of Draught Animals in Bauchi Sate, Northeast, Nigeria. International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences; 2(1): 40- 46.

Ehoche, O.W (1996). Report on Large and Small Ruminant Programme Presented at the Inaugural Review and Planning Workshop on Nationally Co-ordinated Research Programmes in Livestock. 13-15, NAPRI Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Pearson, A. R. (1995). Feeding Draught Animals for Work. Feed mix, 3: 13-17.

Pearson, A.R. and Vall, E. (1998). Performance and Management of Draught Animals in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa; A review. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 30 (5):309-324.

Vall, E. (1996). Capacities de travail, comportement a l’effort et reponses physiologiques du zebu, de l’ane et du cheval au Nord-Cameroun. These de Doctorat, ENSAM, Montpellier.

Bamiduro, J. A., and Gbadeyan, R. A . (2011). Small Scale Farming and Agricultural Products Marketing for Sustainable Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria. 7(3)

Lawrence, P.R and Pearson, R.A (2002). Use of draught animals’ power on small mixed farms in Asia. Agricultural Systems, 71:99-110

Babatunde, O.O. (1996). An Appraisal of the Problem of Wheeled tractors used in Nigerian Agriculture. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America, 27(3), pp 23-26.

Ramaswamy, N.S. (1994). Draught Animals and Welfare. Rev. sci. tech. Off. int. Epiz., 13 (1), 195-216

Omotayo, A. M. (2010). The Nigerian Farmer and the Elusive Crown. 30th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

NICA (2008). Tractor Hiring and Leasing. NICA Global Resources. http://www.nicanig.org.

Umogbai, V. I. (2011). Development of Double-Neck Yoke and Harness for AnimalTraction. Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences (JETEAS) 2 (1): 87-95

Henriksson M and Lindholm E (2000). The use and Role of Animal Draught Power in Cuban Agriculture: a Field Study in Havana Province. Minor Field Studies 100. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. 46p. ISSN 1402-3237.

Gombe State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS), (2006). Budget and Planning Bureau, ministry of finance and economic development, Gombe. Dandafid Nig. Ltd

Lagos, Nigeria.

Musa, H.L. (1990). Development and Use of Animal Drawn Implements in Nigeria. Proceedings of the First National Workshop on Draught Animal Power Research and Development in Nigeria. ABU, Zaria, Nigeria.

Ajav, E.A. (2000). Animal Traction as a Source of Power for Agricultural Development in Nigeria. Proceedings of the Workshop of the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) held 20-24 September 1999, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Fashina, A.B. (1995). Utilization of Draught Animals and Mechanisms of Drawn Implements: Ploughs, Harrows and Groundnut Lifters. Paper Presented at the National Animal Traction Workshop Held at NAERLS and Animal Traction Centre Maigana, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 20-24 March


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.