Browsing by Author "Kimbi, Eliakunda Casmir"
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Item Evaluation of smallholder pig production and marketing systems in relation to porcine cysticercosis in Mbeya Region, Tanzania(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2021) Kimbi, Eliakunda CasmirFour studies were conducted to evaluate smallholder pig production and marketing systems in relation to porcine cysticercosis (PC) in Mbeya region, Tanzania. In study one, a topical Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method was used to characterize production systems. The study involved 279 pig-keeping households in nine villages of Mbozi and Mbeya rural districts. In study two, a cross sectional survey was used to collect data on pig production, marketing, and prevalence of PC from a random sample of 300 pig-keeping households in 30 villages of the same districts. Concurrently, 600 pigs from the sampled households were examined for PC using lingual examination and Antigen-ELISA tests. In study three, a longitudinal design involving 40 pig keeping households in 10 villages of the two districts was conducted to examine pig production and marketing dynamics between seasons. In study four, a cross sectional survey using structured questionnaires was used to collect data from 124 randomly sampled pig traders in Mbozi, Mbeya rural and Mbeya urban districts. Mean land size per household was 2.0 ha. Pig keepers in Mbozi district had significantly bigger land (2.6± 0.2 ha, P0.001) and pig herd sizes (5.5± 4.7, P < 0.05) than those in Mbeya rural. Age, marital status, household size, and land size had significant influence on pig herd size (P 0.05). Three pig management systems were practised, namely; total confinement (TC), semi confinement (SC) and free range/herding (FRH). TC and SC were the dominant systems practised by 42 and 49 % of pig keepers, respectively. Household socio-economic factors and seasons of the year had varying influence on distribution of pig management systems. Majority (93 %) of pig keepers were aware of PC, but only 23.2 % of them had knowledge on how pigs were infected. PC affected all study villages. Household level prevalence varied between 10 and 90% with mean of 45.3 %. Risk factors for PC prevalence were; FRH and SC (OR=2.1, P< 0.01), poor pig shelter (OR = 8.4, P< 0.05), previous experience of PC in the pig herd (OR = 2.6, P < 0.01) and sourcing of water from rivers (OR=3.1, P< 0.001,) and ponds (OR = 5.0, P< 0.05). The important risk behaviours for PC prevalence in pig marketing system were; the dominancy of informal marketing channels, inadequate and poor slaughter facilities and inadequate inspection services. It is concluded that the smallholder pig production has the potential to increase productivity, profitability, and thus improving livelihood of smallholder farmers if suitable and sustainable policies and technological innovations are developed and implemented. Research, development, and promotion of integrated approaches and combination of simple and cost effective interventions are recommended.Item Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania(Springer, 2015-05-05) Lipendele, Calvin Paul; Lekule, Faustine Paul; Mushi, Daniel Elias; Ngowi, Helena; Kimbi, Eliakunda Casmir; Mejer, Helena; Thamsborg, Stig Milan; Johansen, Maria VangAn on farm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of production systems on the performance of local pigs kept by smallholder farmers. Six villages from Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania were purposely selected based on the prominent pig production systems: free range, semi- confinement and total confinement. Fifteen pig keeping households were randomly selected from each village to par- ticipate in the study. A participatory rural appraisal and struc- tured questionnaire were used for collecting information from the households on pig production and reproduction perfor- mance. In addition, a total of 180 weaner pigs, 2–3 months old, were purchased and randomly allocated to the 90 partic- ipating households. The pigs were subjected to three produc- tion systems: free range (M1), confinement with local diet (M2) and confinement with a compounded diet and anthel- mintic treatment (M3). The anthelmintic treatment (piperazine citrate) was administered at 1 g per kg body weight. Faecal and blood samples were collected at month three of the exper- iment to assess the burden of intestinal helminths and sero- prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Sows kept under free range system were reported to have smaller litter size both at farrowing and at weaning compared to those kept under confinement. The experiment showed pigs under M3 had higher (P<0.05) liveweight gains (136 g/day) com- pared to pigs in M2 (73 g/day) and M1 (68 g/day). In addition, pigs in M3 had higher body length and heart girth size with the feed to gain ratio of 8.5. Free range pigs tended to have lower faecal egg counts for most worm species compared to perma- nently confined pigs. Sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysti- cercosis was 26 %, with village prevalence ranging from 8 to 52 %. Although pigs kept in M3 performed better than the rest, the compounded feed was too expensive for the farmers to afford. Locally available feed types combined with vitamin and mineral supplements may be a more sustainable option.Item Smallholder pig marketing systems in the southern highlands of Tanzania(ResearchGate, 2016-01) Kimbi, Eliakunda Casmir; Mlangwa, James; Thamsborg, Stig; Helena, Mejer; Lekule, Faustin PaulA study using two cross-sectional and a longitudinal research designs was undertaken to assess smallholder pig marketing system to explore basic information for improving smallholder pig production and marketing systems. The first design involved a cross-sectional survey of 300 pig farmers randomly selected in 30 villages in Mbozi and Mbeya rural districts. The second design used a cross-sectional survey of 124 pig traders randomly selected in 65 villages in Mbozi and Mbeya rural districts, and Mbeya Municipality. The third one used a longitudinal design and collected data from 40 pig farmers in 10 villages who had also participated in the first design. Results showed that, pig-marketing systems had various channels and segments moving mainly pigs and pork to farmers, traders and consumers. Major market participants in the pig market chain were the pig farmers who played a dual role as pig producers and buyers, traders of live pigs and pork, and finally pork consumers. Most farmers (85%) bought pigs for breeding, while few (18%), bought for fattening. The mean (±SD) weight and age of pigs purchased was 18.2±12.6 kg and 6.2 ±4.7 months, respectively. Farmers sold about 70 and 30% of their pigs to pig traders and other farmers, respectively. Pigs sold to farmers had significantly (P< 0.001) lower mean age (6.1±1.5 months) and live weight (LW) (14.3± 3.6 kg) than pigs sold to traders with a mean age of 12.8± 1.5 months and LW of 40.0± 3.6kg. The study concludes that marketing systems were dominated by informal marketing channels, hence, limit the effectiveness of pig production and marketing. Marketed pigs had smaller weights compared to their ages, therefore contributing to poor returns to pig farmers and sub-optimal pork market supply. The study recommends strategic development of pig value chain for sustainable improvement of smallholder pig production and marketing systems and quality pork to consumers.