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Effect of Extension Services on Farmers’ Adoption of Goat Kid Management Practices

Abstract

Goat kid management involves the care and management practices provided to young goats from birth through the early stages of growth to promote survival, healthy development, and productive performance. Appropriate management of goat kids is important for reducing mortality, improving growth, preventing diseases, and increasing the productivity and profitability of goat production. Agricultural extension services can provide farmers with relevant information, technical advice, and practical guidance needed to adopt recommended goat kid management practices. This study will examine the effect of extension services on farmers’ adoption of goat kid management practices. The study will assess farmers’ access to extension services relating to goat kid management and determine how such services influence their adoption of recommended management practices. It will also examine the role of extension agents in providing farmers with technical information and practical support for improving the care and management of young goats. The study will focus on extension contact, advisory visits, extension training, farmers’ knowledge of goat kid management, colostrum feeding, kid nutrition, housing, hygiene, identification, vaccination, disease prevention, parasite control, growth monitoring, weaning, and general care of young goats. It will also consider farmers’ participation in livestock extension activities and their access to technical information on appropriate goat kid management practices. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from selected goat farmers using structured questionnaires designed to obtain information on their access to extension services and adoption of goat kid management practices. The data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, percentages, mean scores, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to determine the relationship between extension services and farmers’ adoption of recommended goat kid management practices. The study is expected to reveal that extension services may have a positive effect on farmers’ adoption of goat kid management practices. Farmers with greater access to extension information, training, and advisory visits may demonstrate higher adoption of appropriate feeding, housing, hygiene, disease prevention, vaccination, parasite control, and growth monitoring practices. The study may also reveal that inadequate extension contact, limited veterinary support, lack of technical knowledge, and resource constraints can restrict farmers’ adoption of recommended goat kid management practices. The study will be useful to goat farmers, agricultural extension agents, livestock development agencies, veterinary personnel, agricultural development organizations, policymakers, and researchers. It may provide useful information on the contribution of extension services to improved management of young goats. The findings may also assist livestock development agencies in designing practical extension programmes that strengthen farmers’ knowledge and skills for improving kid survival, growth, and overall goat production. The study concludes that extension services are important in promoting farmers’ adoption of goat kid management practices because appropriate advisory support can improve farmers’ knowledge and practical skills in caring for young goats. It is therefore recommended that agricultural extension agencies strengthen regular livestock advisory visits, practical demonstrations, and training on kid feeding, housing, hygiene, disease prevention, vaccination, parasite control, and growth monitoring to improve goat kid survival and support sustainable goat production.

Keywords: Extension services, goat farmers, goat kid management, goat kids, livestock extension, kid feeding, colostrum, goat housing, animal hygiene, disease prevention, vaccination, parasite control, kid growth, livestock production, goat farming.