Perceived effect of livestock waste on wellbeing of farm workers and residents within farm catchment area in Oyo State, Nigeria

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Abstract The attempt to improve protein consumption among Nigerians through increase in livestock production has led to an upward trend in the quantity of waste generated in recent years. In this study we examined the perceived effect of livestock waste on the wellbeing of farm workers and residents within farm catchment area in Oyo State. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 148 respondents for the study. Data were obtained using a structured interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistics, namely frequency, percentages and t-test. The data revealed that 34.5 % of respondents fell in the age range of 21–30 years. Most (68.9 %) of them were males and 56.8 % had tertiary education. Majority (56.1 %) had a poultry flock size ranging from 1,001 to 10,000 birds, 67 % had piggery herd size ranging between 101 and 500 with 57.3 % of livestock farms situated within farm settlements. The respondents generated more of cracked eggs, manure and litters as wastes. Forty-seven percent of the respondents utilised disinfection and 40.0 % used treatment of feeds as the major waste management practices whereas biomass production was least used (5 %). Closing of windows early was the major indicated coping strategy for disturbances from waste. Significant difference exists between residents’ and farm workers’ perception of livestock wastes on their wellbeing in the study area (t = 3.693, P = 0.000). Farm workers and residents perceived the effect of livestock waste on their wellbeing to be low. Wellbeing of residents was more affected with livestock waste than that of workers. There is a need to formulate rules and regulations governing safe handling of waste in order to minimise its impact on the wellbeing of citizens.