Goat ownership pattern and effects of goat mortality on owners in Ghana

Abstract

A cross-sec?onal study was employed to obtain data on goat ownership and the effects of goat  mortality on some psychosocial and socio-economic determinants of goat owners in the Ashan? region of Ghana. Data was obtained using pretested ques?onnaires with a total of three hundred and eighty-four (384) goat owners randomly selected from the study area. Data collected included demographic informa?on on the respondents, management prac?ces, herd size, choice of the management system, sources of feed and stock, goat mortality as well as psychological and economic effects on goat owners. Results showed the majority of goat owners (83.3%) were males, and 77.1% were married. Most of the goat owners were between 18-25 years old (42.2%). Majority of the goat owners (63.3%) had primary-level educa?on. Majority of the respondents (89.1%) had herd sizes varying between 1 and 10. Management system was mostly semi-intensive (95.8%). Sources of feed for goats varied from purchased feed (8.9%) and a combina?on of crop residue which are ogen purchased (91.1%). Most (99.5%) obtained their stock through purchase while 60.9% indicated frequent loss of goats. Goat mortality was mostly ahributed to diseases by 67.5% of the goat owners. All of the goat owners indicated that goat mortality affects them economically whilst 95.57% indicated the death of their goats affects other people in their household. Despite the economic and social effects of the death of their goats, majority of the goat owners (95.57%) were not psychologically affected by the death of their goats. Conclusively, goat rearing in the Ashan? Region of Ghana is prac?ced by all age groups and gender, most of whom were literate. Management system was mostly semi-extensive due to its convenience in terms of labor and capital requirements. Goat mortality existed; however, the economic effects of goat mortality were strongly agreed upon by the goat owners as compared to the psychological effects.