Use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria
| dc.contributor.author | Onuoha, Eugenia Nneka | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-05-10T15:42:01Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-05-10T15:42:01Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-06 | |
| dc.description | This thesis is for the award of Master of Science (MSc.) in Agricultural Extension | |
| dc.description.abstract | The study analyzed the use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the small ruminant farmers, identify the indigenous medicinal plant species available to them, identify small ruminant ailments prevalent in the study area, ascertain methods of preparation of the medicinal plants used, determine the situations or conditions for use of the medicinal plants in small ruminants ’healthcare by male and female farmers, ascertain the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants in small ruminants’ healthcare, and identify the constraints to the use of indigenous medicinal plants in small ruminants’ healthcare in the study area. The hypotheses tested were; there was no significant relationship between the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers and their perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare, there was no significant difference in the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare between the male and female farmers and there were no significant differences in the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants among farmers for small ruminant healthcare in the three agricultural zones of Imo State. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. A total of 240 small ruminant farmers were selected for the study. Data were obtained from primary sources and were analysed using mean score, standard deviation and percentage. The hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square multiple regression model, Z- test and ANOVA. The result of the study showed that the farmers had an average age of about 51 years, the majority (52.9%) of the farmers were male while 47.1% were female and majority (86.3%) were married. The mean household size was eight persons and the mean years of farming experience of the respondents was 15.7 years. The majority (57.5%) of the respondents took farming as their major occupation. The mean herd size owned by the farmers was 18 animals and the majority (68.0%) of the respondents belonged to church organizations while 57.5% were ADP contact farmers. A greater proportion (42.9%) of the respondents got credit from friends and relatives while the mean annual income of the farmers was N87, 325. Furthermore, the study identified 20 indigenous plant species utilized in small ruminant animal healthcare. Seventeen ailments were identified. The result also revealed that many methods were used to prepare and administer the indigenous plant species to the animals, with squeezing, boiling and crushing being the most preferred. The most frequent situation to administer medicinal plants was each time a disease condition is observed ( ̅ = 2.5) and the most perceived reason for the use of indigenous medicinal plant was readily available and cheap ( 𝑋= 3.1). It was also found that problem of dosage of the medicine (85.8%) was the major constraint to the use of medicinal plants in the study area. The multiple regression analysis run to predict the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on farmers’ perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare showed that R2 = 39.6 and Fvalue = 9.8, sex (t = 3. 2), age (t = 3.3), marital status ( 𝑡 =− 2. 1 ), educational level (t = 3. 6 ), herd size ( 𝑡 = 3. 9 ),membership of social organizations ( 𝑡 = 4. 7 ), sources of information (𝑡 = −2.8), annual income �� = −1.92, frequency of extension contact ( 𝑡 = 1. 8 ) and major occupation (t = 1. 8 ) were statistically significant at 1%, 5% and 10% significant levels. The z-test analysis showed that the male and female farmers did not differ in their perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants. Furthermore, the ANOVA result revealed a statistically significant difference (F(2,237) = 7.109, p = 0.001 in the perceived reasons for use of medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare among the farmers in the three agricultural zones. It was recommended that government and other relevant stakeholders should promote the use of medicinal plants in livestock management. There should also be a synergy between farmers, researchers and extension personnel in the identification and use of medicinal plants in small ruminant healthcare. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Onuoha, E. N. (2023). Use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria [Unpublished Master Thesis]. Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://repository.futo.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14562/2734 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Federal University of Technology, Owerri | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Indigenous | |
| dc.subject | medicinal plants | |
| dc.subject | healthcare | |
| dc.subject | small ruminant farmers | |
| dc.subject | Department of Agricultural Extension | |
| dc.title | Use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria | |
| dc.type | Master’s Thesis |