The Effects of Management practices on the Health and Welfare of traction Animals: A study of Taraba state Nigeria
Abstract
To investigate the effects of management practices on the health and welfare of these traction animals in Taraba state. structured questionnaires complemented with un key informant interview were used to collect data from a sampled size of 200 traction animal owners across the study area. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Four tables were made which consist of the first, demography of the respondent, (P<0.05). second table focused on the socio-economic characteristics, such as qualification, occupation, year of experience in the AT practices. Table 3 deal with management practices 122 out of 200 respondents practiced semi-intensive, 188 give supplementary feeding, 130 supplement with bran and offal’s from cereal crops and the last table present health management practices such as cases of outbreak, (111 yes others no) the use of vet personnel in handling heath issues (151 yes others no). The studies shown that most of the owners are managing the animals properly whereas few still need more orientation on husbandry, health and welfare leading to attitudinal change. These management practices not only hamper the handling of animals, or rather endangers human caregivers and animals, but also has negative effects on animals´ welfare, increasing disease susceptibility and decreasing productivity. There is need for a better legislation in order to safeguard the welfare of these traction animals which is in line with one health goal (healthy animal, healthy human and healthy environment).
