Agricultura (Dec 2019)

Coping strategies utilized among small ruminant farmers during the dry season in Ekiti State, Nigeria

  • Oluwatoyosi Evelyn OLORUNYOMI,
  • James Olaniyi OKUNLOLA,
  • Jonathan Akinsola AKINWALE

DOI
https://doi.org/10.15835/agrisp.v111i3-4.13429
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 111, no. 3-4
pp. 262 – 269

Abstract

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The study assessed use of coping strategies by small ruminant farmers during the dry season in Ekiti State. A multistage sampling procedure was used in the selection of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. The result of the study revealed that the average age of the respondents was 47 years and females (78.3 percent) dominate small ruminant rearing in the study area. Coping strategies used during dry season include use of stored crop residue (23.1 percent), use of fresh forage (20.3 percent), increased ration of feeds per meal (19.3 percent) and herd thinning (18.4 percent). There was no significant relationship between constraints to the use of the coping strategies and attitude of farmers towards the use of the coping strategies (r = -0.03, p = 0.72). The study concludes that Crop/livestock combination will go a long way in ensuring crop residue availability during the dry season.

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