Production Practices and Statistics of the Pig Industry in Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Pig is one of the earliest domesticated animals and plays an integral part in a number of peasant economies in the tropics. The people of Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria keep Pig as a source of animal protein and also to generate income. Seven communities of Zuru Local Government rear pig. This study involved the conduction of a census on the pig population and the pig rearing households in Zuru as well as the common production practices among the rearers. A total of 3895 pigs were censused in 105 pig raising households. 30.4% of the total pig population was females while adult males constituted 16.5%. The highest mean distribution of 6.5+2.54 per household was recorded in Tudun Wada and the lowest mean of 6.5+2.19 found in Dabai. Majority (51.5%) of the pig rearers keep pig in fenced backyards, and 65.7% of the total pig raising household keep pigs for economic purposes.