Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Livestock Production in Koinadugu District, Sierra Leone
The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly impacted various industries worldwide, particularly livestock. The study aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on livestock production in Sierra Leone's Koinadugu area. The data was gathered from 162 livestock farmers in six chiefdoms of the Koinadugu District. Quantitative data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires, while qualitative data was collected via personal observations, desk research, a...
Biosecurity Assessment of Layer Farms in Sierra Leone using Biocheck. UGent Scoring Tool
Abstract: Evaluation of the biosecurity of layer farms is essential for successfully controlling and preventing poultry diseases. The objective of this study is to evaluate the biosecurity of layer farms in Sierra Leone using the Biocheck. UGent scoring system. This online biosecurity evaluation tool assesses the farm's biosecurity compliance. The data was collected from 38 layer farms in four provinces and one area in the country. The data were encoded online to provide ratings for each farm...
Livestock farmers’ perception, perceived impacts, and adaptations to climate change in Koinadugu district, Sierra Leone
Climate change is having a negative influence on agriculture and livestock production systems. This study aims to assess livestock farmers’ perceptions and adaptive responses to climate change in the Koinadugu area of northern Sierra Leone. A sample of 126 livestock farmers was selected from four chiefdoms. The data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and meteorological time series data. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 and excel were used to ...
Analysis of Backyard Poultry Farmers' Awareness, Perceptions, and Adaptability to Climate Change in Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone
The poultry industry worldwide suffers significantly due to climate change, which may affect the chicken protein source. The study examined backyard poultry farmers' awareness, perceptions, and responses to climate change in Tonkolili, Sierra Leone. Data were collected from 232 backyard poultry farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 Software. According to the respondents' socioeconomic profiles, the majority of farmers (53.4%) were between the ag...
Impact of Heat Stress on Chicken Performance, Welfare, and Probable Mitigation Strategies
The poultry industry globally provides chicken meat and eggs, the most significant protein sources among animal foods. The industry is grappling with the effect of climate change which causes heat stress and harms the performance and welfare of the chicken. Heat stress has been the most significant environmental stress challenging the global poultry industry, as chickens only tolerate a narrow range of temperatures during heat stress. This review aims to assess the impact of heat stress on ch...
Analysis of the Awareness, Perception, and Adoption of Biosecurity Measures by Slaughterhouse Workers in Koinadugu District, Sierra Leone
Slaughterhouse workers are more susceptible to zoonotic disease infections from cuts and bloodletting, spreading blood-borne pathogens to societies. Adopting biosecurity measures by slaughterhouse workers in their daily tasks can lower the risk of spreading zoonotic diseases while improving food safety. This study aims to examine slaughterhouse workers' awareness of biosecurity, their perception of the efficiency of biosecurity measures in reducing zoonotic infections, and, most crucially, th...