Evaluation of effect of pig productionto the environmentin Enugu State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The research was aimed at accessingthe effect of pig production to the environmental effect in Enugu State, Nigeria. A total of sixty (60) farmers were selected using purposive and multi stage random sampling techniques. Structured questionnaire and oral interview were used to collect information on the objectives of the study. Percentages responses, probit analysis, multinomial logit models and factor analysiswere used to capture the objectives of the study.. The resultsshowedthat most of the respondentswere aged, educated, had large household size and member of organizations. The effect of pig production on the environment were odour, noise, flies, dust, mosquitoes and rodents. The pig management technologies adopted by the farmers were proper housing, proper manure disposal; precision feed management and proper disposal of animal carcass.The waste disposal methods employed by pig farmers were open lagoons, dumping in the farm, heap waste and burn and store in bag. The result of probit analysis of technologies adoption showed that in all the variables considered,only the coefficientsof age, extension services,membership of organization and off –farm income activities that were positive. As well, the analysis of the choice of adopting of the management technologies against environmental hazards using multinomial logit regression, showed that only rearing experience and extension services were positive .Finally, poor access to credit, poor housing, extension services, disease problem, drug, high costs of labour and location of veterinary posts in the urban area were the major challenges faced by farmers in the study area. There is need to ensure farmers’ access to credit, extension services, membership of organization and off farm income activities