Analysis of Livestock Waste Management Practices among Rural Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

This study was on the analysis of livestock waste management practices among rural farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select the 60 respondents for the study. Primary data used the study were collected using well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentages, means, and multinomial logit regression were used in data analysis. Result showed that the mean age of the livestock farmers was 34.3 years and the average household size was 6 persons per household. The average years of educational attainment was 9 years and the livestock farmers have on the average spent 8 years in the business. The average distance to livestock farm from residential dwelling was 0.4km. The average number of livestock reared was 111, while the average monthly expenditure on water was N1470.80. The average cost of waste management per month was N2195.80 and the average monthly net return from the livestock business was N27400. The significant determinants of use of waste management systems were distance from livestock farms to residential quarters, number of livestock reared, frequency of visitation of livestock sanitation officers, number of farm labour, and the quantity of faecal material generated. The major benefits from livestock waste management were environmental sustainability, reduced cost of fertilizer, increased in income, reduced cost of agrochemicals, reduced incidence of pests, increased productivity, and biogas production. Strict enforcement by supervisory agencies of the existing sanitation/health policies aimed at environmental preservation and protection was recommended so as to ensure environmental sustainability.