Productivity of traditionally-managed small ruminants in the Ejura sub-district of the Ashanti Region of Ghana
| dc.contributor.author | Mensah, Benjamin Asante | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2012-02-15T20:34:25Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-04-20T10:09:21Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2012-02-15T20:34:25Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-04-20T10:09:21Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1999-02-15 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted to the Board of Postgraduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Master of Philosophy in Animal Science, 1999 | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | One hundred and nineteen small ruminant farms were used in a 22-month study to assess the productivity of sheep and goats in the Ejura sub—district of the Ashanti Region of Ghana through field measurements and interviews. In addition, more detailed studies were conducted on three herds of goats, six flocks of sheep, and five mixed-species flocks, selected from six villages in the study area. Goats and sheep were of the West African Dwarf type. There was some evidence from their physical appearance, however, that there had been some outcrossing to long-legged West African Sahelian types from farther north. The Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was employed for the analysis of data from the field measurements. The numerical aspects of the information gathered from the interviews were analysed using means and percentages. Management still lay with each individual farmer who was free to dispose of animals at any time he pleased. Sheep lambed for the first time at 572 ± 25 days, whereas goats kidded for the first time at 453 ± 47 days. Kidding interval was 250 ± 14 days, and lambing interval, 273 ± 11 clays. Litter size was 1.31 ± 0.1 for sheep and 1.65 ± 0.1 for goats. Birth weight was 2.3 ± 0.5 kg for lambs and 1.3 ± 0.3 kg for kids. Average daily weight gain from birth to natural weaning (4 months) was 69 grams for sheep and 54 grams for goats. Mortality was 22% for Sheep and 23% for goats over the study period, and deaths were higher in lambs and kids than in adults. Diseases accounted for 79% of deaths in both species. All the 11 9 flocks were owned by adults with the majority (91.6%) belonging to men. Cash to meet urgent needs of the family was the main reason for keeping stock (73.1%). The commonest of management systems included night housing and day tethering in the cropping season, with tethering or free-grazing during the day in the non-cropping season. Breeding was generally uncontrolled. Treatment of sick animals was seldom practiced. About 91% of the farmers had an irregular marketing schedule. If adequate attention is paid to the control of disease and mortality among lambs and kids, the productivity of traditionally managed sheep and goats could be greatly improved. | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | KNUST | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/2953 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | 2601; | |
| dc.title | Productivity of traditionally-managed small ruminants in the Ejura sub-district of the Ashanti Region of Ghana | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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