Constraints to pig production among farmers in Katine sub-county, Soroti district.

Abstract

Eastern region has lower number of households owning pigs as a percentage of the total number of households than central region (UBOS,2014). A study was conducted to assess constraints to pig production in Katine sub county, Soroti district from March to ApriL 2015. The objective of the study was to evaluate the social economic health and nutritional constraints to pig production among farmers in Katine sub county. Quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire and a total of 120 pig farmers were interviewed. Study found out that majority of farmers had only attained primary education (57.3%»), the farmers kept mainly local breeds (68.3%). majority of farmers (48.3%), dewormed their pig when the pigs are week and pot-bellied, majority (75.8%) never adopted any biosecurity, measure. The challenges faced in feeding pigs as per the pig farmers, were mainly expensive resources (72.5%) and feed scarcity (27.5%). Religion was not a constraint since most respondents were Christians, but the major social economic constraints were lower education levels or the tanners which affects the adoption of new technologies and poor breeds of pigs kept. The health constraints included parasites and diseases caused by farmers not spraying deworming, cleaning pens regularly, and not putting up bio security measures in place. The nutritional constraints included poor feeding. Promotion or adult education is necessary in the area so as to raise the education standards to ease adoption of new improved and better management practices and extension packages by extension staff should target sensitizing farmers on up grading of the pig breeds. The extension staff should sensitize farmers on proper healthy management practices like regular spraying, cleaning of pens, deworming and putting in place proper. biosecurity measures pig, feeding trainings are needed to ensure that farmers are taught on balanced diets to their pigs. following proper feeding regimes. More research is needed to common diseases that affect pigs in this area so that they call be handled.