ADOPTION RATE OF IMPROVED DAIRY CATTLE TECHNOLOGIES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

M.K.Saleh

Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

E-mail: salequa@yahoo.com or quagyangsaleh@gmail

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated adoption rate of improved dairy cattle technologies among cattle farmers in northern Nigeria. Purposive method of sampling was used to select both the study area and improved dairy cattle farmers. The study covered the entire registered improved dairy farms in the 16 States of northern Nigeria in 2013/14. Data were obtained by means of questionnaire administered on 61 improved dairy cattle farmers. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and multinomial logit regression were used to analyse the data. The results show that majority (74%) of the respondents had information on the technologies from extension workers and 20% obtained their information from their co-farmers. Adoption rate for the three related technologies studied was 55% with animal healthcare being the highest (62%). The trend of adoption rate shows that the period 1986 to 2013 had the highest rate, being 67%. Animal healthcare technology had the highest rate of adoption at 62%.The results of multinomial logit regression shows that household, herd size, experience, access, level of living and age were significant at 1% level of probability but that age was negative; in influencing adoption behaviour of farmers. One of the major problems identified was low price of dairy products in the area. Thus, it was concluded improved dairy farming is capital intensive. Based these conclusion, it was recommended that price of the products has to be improved to encourage more people take up the business. Also, dairy farmers’ cooperative should allowed to fix attractive prices for dairy products.

Keywords: Animal healthcare, dairy cattle, genetic upgrading and fodder.