The content is just an excerpt from the complete note for JSS 1 Second Term Agricultural Science Lesson Note – Factors Affecting the Distribution of Livestock in Nigeria. Check below to download the complete PDF
Factors affecting the Distribution of Livestock in Nigeria.
The population of certain kinds of farm animal is more in certain areas than in others. There are factors responsible.
Up to 80% of grazing livestock is to be found in the savanna zone of northern Nigeria. This is because of the following factors:
- Food/Availability of good pasture: This constitutes the bulk of the feed of livestock. Large expanse of grassland is abundant in northern Nigeria, and for this reason there is greater population of cattle, sheep and goats, which graze on the pasture grasses and legumes found in this area than in southern Nigeria.
- Climate: Animal production is usually affected adversely by too hot or too cold weather conditions. For instance, pigs do not have sweat glands, so they do not perspire; rearing them in a hot climate will greatly reduce their efficiency.
Moreover, the growth and multiplication of pests and diseases is also encouraged d by high temperature and rainfall, and this hinders the growth and performers of livestock.
- Pests and diseases: The thick forest zones of the south are heavily infested with tse-tse flies due to high rainfall and high relative humidity.
Tse-tse flies serve as vectors of disease called Trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. These flies on biting these animals transmit this disease which results in the death of the animals. This prevents cattle from flourishing in this zone except N’dama and muturu cattle that are resistant to this disease.
Poultry seems to be more evenly distributed. The availability of grains in the savanna areas also encourages poultry production.
- Religious belief: The production of pig is limited by social and religious beliefs of Nigerians. The Islamic religion forbids eating of pork; they neither rear nor eat pig.
