Exploring the Familiarity, Interest and Attitudes of Senior High School Students towards Non-Ruminant Animals: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Exploring how the students’ perspective towards non-ruminants gives us valuable clues about the long-term sustainability of our farming communities. Acknowledging the agricultural sector's economic significance and the challenges an aging farming population, the research aims to assess students' perspectives on non-ruminants, like poultry and swine, as a potential area for youth engagement and career development. The subjects of this study were the 201 senior high school students from Sagay National High School and Floro T. Bongco Farm School in Northern Negros, Philippines. Using a descriptive-quantitative design, data were collected through a survey which was conducted on May 7-10, 2024. When taken as a whole, results showed that students are moderately familiar with non-ruminants. Specifically, among the various species of ruminant animals, students were highly familiar with swine and chicken. On the other hand, when taken as a whole, students have a high interest in hands-on activities and career opportunities within agriculture, and a positive attitude toward animal welfare and the sector's role in food security. Specifically, however, students were fairly interested in adopting and discovering innovations in raising non-ruminant animals, raising non-ruminants for self-sufficiency or consumption, gathering animal wastes, investing time, money, and effort for non-ruminant raising, attending seminars, and marketing. Finally, students generally consider non-ruminants as very important, and they should be provided with proper nutrition and ideal housing, monitored and protected from being subjected to research, and treated with the same level of compassion and respect. These findings suggest that senior high school students were familiar with and interested in non-ruminant animal production. Their positive attitude towards this sector promises a potential for youth participation in agriculture and highlights the need for educational programs to foster this interest. These findings give inspiration for future enthusiasts of agriculture, specifically non-ruminant animal production. It is recommended to conduct similar studies on different types of schools such as those located in urban areas, in order to get the picture as whole on the scenario of the future workforce of the agriculture sector.