An Empirical Analysis of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pig Farmers against Transmissible Gastroenteritis (TGE) in Kwara and Oyo States in Nigeria.
Description
Although TGE-like symptoms are present, only a small percentage of respondents are aware of the disease or take the advised precautions when it comes to biosecurity. Even among those who are aware of biosecurity, there is a great deal of variation in practices; many farms do not have foot dips or appropriate methods for disposing of waste. Influence of Experience and Education: There appears to be a link between improved biosecurity procedures and higher education levels. The persistence and spread of TGE in Nigerian pig farms are due to a critical knowledge and practice gap, according to the data, and this is major obstacle to efficient disease management is the lack of formal education and a low awareness of biosecurity. Our findings show that to enhance biosecurity procedures and lessen the effects of TGE, we need more infrastructure and focused educational initiatives. To guarantee that farmers have the information and resources required to fight TGE and other diseases of a similar nature, these results also highlight the significance of ongoing surveillance and assistance from veterinary and agricultural services. One of the most noteworthy discoveries is that, despite the presence of TGE-like symptoms, very few respondents were aware of the disease or took the necessary precautions to maintain biosecurity. Inconsistent biosecurity practices; Even among those who are aware of biosecurity, there are many different practices, and many farms lack even the most basic infrastructure—like footdips or appropriate ways to dispose of waste. There is an apparent s connection between improved biosecurity procedures and higher educational attainment. This buttresses the significance of the gap in knowledge and practice that could be a factor in TGE's continued occurrence and spread in Nigerian pig farms. Inadequate schooling and a lack of knowledge about biosecurity are two main obstacles to efficient disease control. The findings imply that to enhance biosecurity procedures and lessen the effects of TGE, focused educational initiatives and improved infrastructure are required. These findings also emphasize how crucial it is for veterinary and agricultural services to keep an eye on farmers and provide them with the resources and information they need to fight TGE and other diseases of a similar nature.
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The ethical clearance for this study was obtained from the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ilorin, Nigeria. Each respondent was subjected to filling out an informed consent form before participating in the survey. This study was designed as a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study survey of pig farmers in two states with elaborate pig-farming industries in Nigeria: these states are in two geopolitical zones in Nigeria North-central (Kwara state) and South-west (Oyo state). Pig and livestock farmers in the study sites with the least number of respondents targeted (n=50). The survey was conducted from the 22nd of April 2024 to the 9th of June 2024, over nine weeks. The help of presidents of pig farmers’ associations in both states was enlisted to recruit study participants. The study participants had to be at least 20 years old, and currently rearing pigs at the time of the study; all participants that had not been in the business for the last five years at the time of the study were not allowed to participate. The farms of respondents were visited physically to ascertain some of the responses provided by the farmers during the survey. This study was a mixed-methods cross-sectional survey using purposive sampling methods, the survey was conducted to assess the level of pig farmers in Oyo State and Kwara State’s knowledge of TGE. The study was conducted as a combined online (developed and administered via Google Forms) and an in-person (visits to pig farms, pig farmers’ meetings) survey using a structured questionnaire. To validate the questionnaire, four independent reviewers (a veterinarian, a scientist, a researcher, and one animal scientist) were selected to validate the questionnaire. Furthermore, to check for technical glitches, the aptness of the survey tool, and typographical errors, a pre-test survey on 20 pig farmers was performed, and the reliability and internal consistency of all survey instruments were assessed using the Cronbach Alpha test. The questionnaire was composed of four sections – Demography, Husbandry practices, Routine biosecurity protocols, and Knowledge of TGE – proper scrutiny of the last three sections was carried out. Section A of the survey instrument determined the demographic characteristics of the respondents including area of expertise, location, gender, age, number of years in practice, level of education, herd size, staff employed, and management type amongst others. Section B assessed pig demography – age, source, and type of feed fed. Section C evaluated knowledge of biosecurity and determined the type of biosecurity measures taken on the farms of respondents. Farmers’ knowledge of TGE was evaluated in Section D, along with symptomatic analysis encountered pre- and post-COVID-19 era.