LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS

Objectives

The broad objective of the Livestock System Research Programme is to carry out On-farm Adaptive Research (OFAR). Other specific objectives are:

• Carry out extension delivery to target livestock farmers.
• Continuous monitoring and evaluation of livestock production on-farm.
• Carry out village extension delivery (within and outside OFAR schemes).
• Provide linkage and liaison services between NAPRI and livestock farmers as well as policy agencies nation-wide.

 

 

• On-farm evaluation of dual-purpose legumes and grasses for livestock nutritional purpose.
• Jointly with ADPs, evaluation and development of fodder plants in Sokoto, Gombe and Adamawa States for strategic dry season feeding of ruminant livestock.
• Implementation of the village extension programme in communities around Giwa and Sabon Gari areas.
• Evaluation of draught animals for labour-saving purposes using bulls, oxen and camels.
  participation in livestock diagnostic surveys nation-wide.
• Participation in adoption and impact studies.
• Collaborative research and development on dual-purpose legumes for livestock production with international research centres such as ILRI and IITA Ibadan.
  

• Trends in the production, marketing and consumption of livestock species and integrated crop-livestock farming in Kaduna and Kano States (cattle, swine, sheep and goats).
• Thematic visits (in collaboration with research centres and development agencies on all aspects of livestock production and crop-livestock integration).
• Introduction of developed research technologies into the farming systems of smallholder farmers in the areas of:
• Dual-purpose leguminous plants (groundnut, cowpea and lab-lab).
• Draught-resistant fodder- Sorghum-almum columbus grass.
• Ration enrichment using legumes and locally available protein sources.
• Storage of crop residues for dry season usage.
• Production, reproduction and management systems of livestock (cattle, small ruminants, swine, poultry  and donkey) have been described and constraints that could militate against productivity levels identified.
• In collaboration with the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, Ilorin, designed and fabricated the "Press-and-kill" tick remover in ruminants and a portable ruminant loading ramp.
• Introduction of improved cocks to farmers in several State APDs, Feedbacks indicate remarkable improvement in egg numbers, size and quality as well as finishing weights of hens and cocks.
• Introduction and evaluation of solar dryer for fodder drying.
• Introduction of bio-gas digester for gas production using ruminant dung and poultry manure.
• Livestock diagnostic surveys in Northeast, Northwest and Central States.
• Adoption and impact studies in Northeast, Northwest  and Central States.
• Completed detailed ethno-veterinary studies of Nigerian livestock producers with particular reference to:
•     Location-specificity of ethno-veterinary practices.
•     Evaluation of the efficacy of local medicinal plants in different parts of  Nigeria.