Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Poultry Egg Production among Poultry Farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Poultry production is no doubt one of the important ways of alleviating the scourge of protein deficiency in Nigeria and other developing countries. Specifically, poultry eggs are rich source of high quality protein. Despite the importance of poultry eggs, majority of farmers in the rural areas find it difficult to meet up the recommended nutritional requirement especially protein. It was on this basis that this study aims at analysing the socio-economic factors influencing poultry egg production among farmers in Ondo state. The main objective of the study was to determine the factors that influence poultry egg production. The study was carried out in five (5) Local Government Areas (LGA) of Ondo State. Purposive sampling was used to select the LGA while random sampling was used to select 60 poultry farms from the LGA. Data were collectedthrough structured interview schedule. Multiple regression was used to analyse the data collected for the study. The study revealed that number of layers (X₈) significantly influenced poultry egg production at P≤0.01 level of probability; level of education (X₂) and years of experience (X₃) significantly influenced it at P≤0.05 level of probability while access to credit facilities (X₅) was significant at P≤0.1 level of probability. The result of the study showed that these variables significantly influence poultry egg production in the study area. Therefore, the study recommended that poultry egg farmers should be linked to financial institutions in order to have access to credit through extension agents so as to improve on their poultry farms. Also adult literacy classes for farmers with low education should be organized by the LGA as this will help the farmers to understand better the innovation introduced to them as regards poultry egg production. It will also help them to make good management decisions. Level of experience was also significant; hence the study recommends that farmers should have good knowledge of poultry egg production in order to improve on their production.