Livestock inventory of small-scale farms in Ghana with the special focus on feedstuffs

B.Sc. Eugene Okraku Asare, BSc

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

In Ghana, livestock production has become one of the most important source of protein in human diets. Livestock animals feed on different varieties of plants, farm residues or industrial waste for their nourishment. The aim of the study was to determine livestock and mini-livestock species diversity and numbers, to evaluate management of small-scale farms in relation to nutrition and feeding of animals. Also to determine the source of feeds and define feedstuff costs. Ten communities were selected from the Ga East district for the research using the snowball sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 30 respondents. Animal species identified were poultry, pig, cattle, sheep, goat, grasscutter, rabbit, fish and snail with their breeds. The source of the breeds were local and imported. A total of 21 local plant species were identified. Poultry and pig prevails more in the district. Income generation was the main reason for keeping livestock. Only poultry, pig and fish bought feedstuff to feed their livestock. The two seasons (dry and wet) was a key determinant of feed availability; feed was abundant during the wet season and scarce during the dry season. Main identified constraints faced by small-scale farming were health problems, feed availability during the dry season and bush fires. It is therefore recommended that farmers should adopt forage cultivation into their annual farming systems to supplement the feeding of their livestock.

Keywords

species, local plant, nutrition, breeds, small-scale farming

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 27. 4. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Ing. Magdalena Miřejovská, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Michaela Kopřivová Stejskalová, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Tropické zemědělství / Animal and Food Sciences in Tropics and Subtropics