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Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania

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Abstract

An on farm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of production systems on the performance of local pigs kept by smallholder farmers. Six villages from Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania were purposely selected based on the prominent pig production systems: free range, semi-confinement and total confinement. Fifteen pig keeping households were randomly selected from each village to participate in the study. A participatory rural appraisal and structured questionnaire were used for collecting information from the households on pig production and reproduction performance. In addition, a total of 180 weaner pigs, 2–3 months old, were purchased and randomly allocated to the 90 participating households. The pigs were subjected to three production systems: free range (M1), confinement with local diet (M2) and confinement with a compounded diet and anthelmintic treatment (M3). The anthelmintic treatment (piperazine citrate) was administered at 1 g per kg body weight. Faecal and blood samples were collected at month three of the experiment to assess the burden of intestinal helminths and sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Sows kept under free range system were reported to have smaller litter size both at farrowing and at weaning compared to those kept under confinement. The experiment showed pigs under M3 had higher (P < 0.05) liveweight gains (136 g/day) compared to pigs in M2 (73 g/day) and M1 (68 g/day). In addition, pigs in M3 had higher body length and heart girth size with the feed to gain ratio of 8.5. Free range pigs tended to have lower faecal egg counts for most worm species compared to permanently confined pigs. Sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis was 26 %, with village prevalence ranging from 8 to 52 %. Although pigs kept in M3 performed better than the rest, the compounded feed was too expensive for the farmers to afford. Locally available feed types combined with vitamin and mineral supplements may be a more sustainable option.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported financially by a grant from the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) through the project: ‘Securing rural Livelihoods through Improved smallholder Pig Production in Mozambique and Tanzania – SLIPP’. The villagers of the selected villages in the study districts are thanked for their cooperation during data collection.

Compliance with ethical standards

Permission to conduct this study was obtained from the postgraduate studies committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Sokoine University of Agriculture. The study was carried in accordance with Tanzanian ethical standards and regulations for animal experimentation. All farmers were totally informed about the study, the requirements, confidentiality regarding all data collected and right to withdraw from the study. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. All guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Animals that tested positive in PCC were provided with treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. BOX 3004, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania

    Calvin Paul Lipendele, Faustine Paul Lekule & Daniel Elias Mushi

  2. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P. O. BOX 3021, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania

    Helena Ngowi

  3. Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI), Uyole, P.O. BOX 6191, Mbeya, Tanzania

    Eliakunda Casmir Kimbi

  4. Section for Parasitology and Aquatic Diseases, Department of Veterinary Disease Biology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlægevej 100, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    Helena Mejer, Stig Milan Thamsborg & Maria Vang Johansen

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  1. Calvin Paul Lipendele
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Correspondence to Daniel Elias Mushi.

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Lipendele, C.P., Lekule, F.P., Mushi, D.E. et al. Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 1121–1130 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0836-1

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