ANIMAL SCIENCE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN LIVESTOCK FARMERS AND CONSUMERS

Abstract

The Agricultural Policy for Nigeria (1987) has the following objectives for livestock production:

1. Make Nigeria self-sufficient in livestock products;


2. Improve the nutritional status of Nigerians by provision of livestock products;


3. Provide locally all necessary raw material inputs for the livestock industry;


4. Allow for a meaningful and efficient use of livestock by-products;


5. Improve and stabilise rural incomes from livestock production and processing;


6. Insure the rural livestock farmer against the risk to livestock production;


7. Provide more rural employment through livestock production and processing;


8. Maintain the ecosystem for expanded livestock production. Animal scientists have made significant contributions towards the achievement of these objectives through their research efforts - and services rendered to various public institutions. They have served: on the expert committees that prepare livestock information packages; as expert consultants to committees of the Federal department of Livestock and Pest Control services; on the Livestock Development Projects' panels and on the National Advisory

Committee on Animal Research as well as on its various sub-committees. Perhaps one of the most recent efforts of Animal Scientist towards the achievement of these livestock objectives was their service in the Presidential Task Force for the Formulation of Alternative Feedstuffs for Livestock. This Task Force directly contributed to the achievement of objectives 3 and 4 and indirectly to objectives 1 to 7. Within the last 10 there have been increasing concerns about the role of animal production in modern societies. The primary concern is with resource depletion and degradation - grassland degradation, loss of soil conserving vegetation, loss of nutrients and organic matter from soils, methane Invited paper presented to the 4th Animal Science Association of Nigeria Conference, IITA, Ibadan, 14-16, September, 1999. Emission by ruminants that contribute to global warming, ammonia emission from intensive pig and poultry farms or cattle feedlots that result in acid rains, nitrates in water from animal wastes and rapid loss of animal genetic diversity. In addition, questions have been raised about health hazards from meat and egg consumption and about the propriety of feeding grains to livestock. The challenge now facing animal scientists is not only to contribute towards increasing the income of livestock farmers but also to work towards enhancing the quantity and quality of animal products for the consumers.