ANALYSIS OF FARMERS’ AWARENESS OF SOME BIOSAFETY SMART PRACTICES AGAINST RECURRENT OUTBREAKS OF VIRAL POULTRY DISEASES IN NORTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined farmers’ awareness of some biosafety smart-practices against recurrent outbreaks of viral poultry-diseases in Northwest, Nigeria. A 2-stage sampling-procedure was used in selecting respondents for the study and data were collected using questionnaire and interview-schedule administered to 444 poultry-farmers across three selected states (Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa). The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Most perceived prevalent viral poultry-diseases are Newcastle-disease (=1.191±1.091), Infectious-Bronchitis (=1.288±1.135) and Infectious-Bursal disease (=1.356±1.164) respectively. Main sources of information on viral-diseases of poultry are Mass-Media (97.7%), Family/Friends/Neighbors (27.3%) and Veterinary-Services (27.3%). Amongst the three-biosafety smart-components available, the respondents weren’t aware of cleaning and traffic control biosafety smart-components (awareness indexes of =1.491 and =1.488). They were somehow aware of disinfection component (=1.568). Majority (61.7%) claimed very low awareness level of biosafety smart-practices. Major constraints to awareness of viral poultry-diseases are: inadequate extension-services (=1.21), inadequate information (=1.22) and low literacy level (=1.25) among others. The positive determinants of awareness of biosafety practices are: farming-experience (6.870), educational-level (0.960), flock-size (0.048) and average monthly income (0.508) at p≤0.05. The study concluded that respondents were not aware of the biosafety practices against the outbreaks of viral poultry couple with          low literacy level of most farmers. It was recommended that more awareness-campaign be instituted. Constraints to awareness of biosafety smart-practices be effectively handled, more pro-activeness of extension-services as well as improvement in the positive determinant factors of awareness of biosafety smart-practices against viral poultry-diseases.