Some demographic characteristics of farmers and their knowledge of the systems of raising and caring for meat animals in the New Valley governorate, Egypt

Abstract

The research was designed to study the demographic characteristics of farmers and systems of raising and caring for meat animals for smallholders in the crop-livestock production system in New Valley governorate, Egypt. The primary data for the study were obtained using 300 questionnaires from 3 centres located in the New Valley governorate, selected randomly. The data presented showed that the average age of respondents in different centres in the New Valley governorate was 51.60 years old. There were 5.58 members in the family house, and their marital status reveals that only 4.0% are single, while 91.0% are married, and the rest are widowed, an average of 5.0%. The education level suggested a high proportion of households with a high school rate (36.0%). The study revealed that smallholders keep mixed livestock species, including local, foreign, and cross-bred cows, buffalo, and sheep. About 63.7% gave their animals immunizations and vaccinations. About 52% of animals are raised on natural pastures. Also, households have limited practice of feed conservation in the form of hay or silage. The overall mean of calf weight at birth was 32.57± 0.281 kg, the mean weaning age of calf was 3.87±0.055 month, the mean of calf weight at weaning was 84.11±0.733 kg, and the mean of the milk amount during the suckling period was 3.28±0.033 kg/day for each calf.