Ownership patterns and management of small ruminants, equines and pigs in The Gambia

Presents data on the numbers of each domestic livestock species present as well as ownership and management patterns. The census includes sheep, goats, pigs, donkeys and horses and was carried out in four localities - Gunjur, Pirang, Keneba and Jattaba. The sheep and goats were, respectively, of the Djallonke and West African Dwarf breeds. The study showed that 80-95 percent of compounds owned small ruminants. Between 1986 and 1988, the sheep and goat populations increased by 34 percent and 23.3 percent respectively. The census showed that 19.3 percent of sheep and 32.1 percent of goat owners were women. Changes in the ACA rations of female to male sheep and goats suggested that the major trade was in adult males with some trade in young animals less than 8 months old. It was concluded that small ruminants are a significant economic resource at both local and national levels, although the study also identified significant numbers of pigs in two localities and of equines in all four, which may provide a source of trypanosome infection for the more numerous small ruminants.