(a) State three ways in which each of the following factors hinders livestock production in West Africa: (i) breeding; (ii) nutrition; (iii) healthcare; (iv) government policy; (v) finance. (b) Mention five factors that affect productivity of pastures.
Explanation
(a) Ways in which the following factors hinder livestock production (i) Breeding - Inadequate know-how/techniques/skills/ knowledge for breeding - Unavailability of improved breeds/presence of poor or low quality breeds - Inability of improved breeds to adapt to the environment - Inadequate breeders - Little breeding work is done.
- Breeding of animal Is is expensive. - Breeding of animals is time-consuming. - Indigenous traits could be lost. - Poor extension services (ii) Nutrition - Low quality/ poor pastures - Competition between humans and animals for foodstuff - Seasonality of forage - Poor attitude towards establishment of pastures - Inadequate supply of water - Malnutrition/poor nutrition/under-nutrition - Bad feed formulation - High cost of feed and feedstuff - Poor extension services (iii) Healthcare - Inadequate know-how of health care management by the farmers - High incidence of diseases - High cost of pest/parasites - High cost of drugs/vaccine/treatment - Inadequate health care services/poor veterinary services/ inaccessibility or lack of standard health care services - Poor vaccination ' preventive programmes - Poor sanitation - Poor implementation of quarantine regulation - Poor extension services. (iv) Government Policy - Uncontrolled importation of animal products - Political instability leading to unstable livestock and poultry policy - High tax regimes double taxation on inputs - Restriction of employment of extension officers - Low allocation or resources to the livestock and poultry sector - Poor implementation of livestock and poultry policy - Poor extension services (v) Finance - High interest rate - Inability of farmers to meet collateral requirements - Difficulty in obtaining loan/credit - High risk associated with livestock-and poultry production - Most farmers are not credit worthy. - Poor record keeping - Poor/inadequate co-operative societies - Lack of business plan/feasibility study - Poor extension services - Insufficient capital/ there is no money. (b) Factors that affect productivity of pastures - Climate/weather - Soil - Management practices/stocking rate - Pests attack - Seed type/ planting material - Resistance to trampling/ tolerance - Drought resistance - Aggressiveness/ regenerating ability - Diseases - Compatibility of pastures
