Nigeria is an African country on the Gulf of Guinea. Though it has the largest oil reserves n Africa, agriculture has become the center of the economy. It provides most Nigerian’s livelihood. The total national food is 80% from the farm. Unfortunately, poverty becomes the main threat from the poor management agriculture system.
It is about small use of mechanization, faulty system on agricultural extension, bad street network, lack of market information, and lack of significant inputs like seeds and fertilizers.
Feed mixer machines in Nigeria may become one of many solutions offered, but it should be combined with good management from both government and farmers.
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Northern vs. Southern Region
The large population of cattle is mostly in the northern region. The northern region has lighter soils, a longer dry season, and a short rainfall duration. These characteristics are suitable for ruminants. Most of them is Hausa or Fulani pastoralist.
The southern region was infested by tsetse flies, which caused sleeping sickness in cattle. This infestation reduced as many forests turned into savannah as the result of land clearing from bush burning and for agriculture and human residence. These increase heat intensity and make it less conducive for the survival of the infestation. Due to the prolonged submissions to tsetse flies’ infestation, the pastoralist in the southern region achieved good resistance and resilience against the bad condition.
In the 1980s, the government imported the breeding stock from the Gambia. To support the program, the government also launched a tsetse control and elimination program. Gradually, both regions give the ruminants yields. Feed mixer machines in Nigeria may slowly be thought about to get the amounts of planned yields.
The Values of Social and Economic of Ruminants in Nigeria
The ruminants, which include sheep, goats, cattle, and relatives, have significant values in Nigerians’ social and economic life. From the economic side, these animals create incomes for the dealer and seller, create more employment, enhance the market for some people who depend on animal products to create another economic gain. Cattle, for instance, provide the primary and affordable meat stock. About a million of them are slaughtered for big days and everyday consumption. The smaller animals like goats and sheep are less chosen.
Three parties gain an advantage indirectly from the slaughter. The government gets income from giving licenses and applying taxes on every slaughtered animal, mainly in the legally registered abattoirs. The butchers, of course, play an unavoidable part. The last party is the foragers. Despite the free-range management system on the ruminants, continual feeding is still provided to fulfill the commercial needs.
Therefore, both dry and wet forages are got from the foragers to feed the animals. The farmers may spend less on forage as the feed mixer machine in Nigeria takes part, combined with the proper management system.
Social values of having the ruminants are different between the south and the west. The southern region highly appreciates sheep and goats for cultural heritage. Until now, the goat has still become part of bride price as a traditional requirement. The northern, especially Hausa Fulani, puts cattle as more significant. They use cattle for transportation and land cultivation.
Poor Management and Solution
The feeding stock is badly distributed. The smaller animal may roam and scavenge on the street to find its feed. This free-range system faces no problem during the rainy seasons since the forages or grasses are more than enough. Yet, dry season poses another problem: the feed is not always available; they will eat anything, including dumps and left-over foods. There is a risk of destructive animals.
They can eat live crops, as nothing more to eat. Added from the peanut and cowpeas yields, crop debris such as dried cowpeas and husks may become a feed source for the ruminants.
Due to their potential, cattle are never allowed to roam around the street. Some human resources are needed to herd them for forages. They also find it hard during the dry season. Since the farmer may not be present to herd, there will be another cost for the herder.
Jummos play an important to support the feed mixer machine in Nigeria. Accompanied by our experienced and talented engineers, our agricultural machine products will help you manage the best total mixed ratio for your ruminants to gain the best yields. In the long run, the economic values will increase more and more. Please contact us for more detail.