Majalija Samuel, Tumwine Gabriel, Kiguli Juliet, Owori Benard, Isabirye Robert Alex, Waiswa Peter
Department of Biosecurity, Ecosystem Health and Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P.O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 Mar 31;21(1):228. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04667-2.
Piggery production is a main income source for the rural poor in Uganda, where 1.3 million households own about 4.47 million pigs. Nonetheless, health challenges and lack of knowledge by the farmers affect the productivity and profits of the pig enterprises. Thus, this study determined the knowledge and practices among smallholder pig farmers and the associated risk factors for pig gastrointestinal disorders in Masindi district, Uganda.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a closed-end questionnaire interview of 170 smallholder pig farmers in the rural district of Masindi, from March to July 2020. The qualitative data was analyzed and presented as frequencies, percentages, and their 95% confidence intervals. Bivariate and multi-variate analysis were used to determine factors associated with GIT disorders.
Of the 170 farmers, males and females were equal (50%), mostly as pig owners (91.2%), rural folks (88.8%), who raised other animal species (72.9%) and with 5-10 years (72.4%) of experience. Of these, 67.6% were married, mainly in age ranges of groups 19-50 (90.6%) and 47.6% had attained primary school level. Pig rearing was for income generation (95.5%) and 79.4% reported GIT disorders on their farms, affecting local breeds (57.0%) of all age groups and throughout the year. Similarly, most of the farmers understood transmission routes of GIT disorders and adhered to biosecurity practices. However, 62.9% treated the sick pigs, 40.6% sold the sick pigs and only 25.9% consulted a veterinarian. At multivariable logistic regression analysis, being a female farmer (p = 0.018, OR = 3.163, CI: 1.213, 8.244); mixing of different herds of pigs (p = 0.003, aOR = 4.141, 95%CI (1.317,13.013); feeding pigs on raw tubers (p = 0.017, aOR = 2.703, 95% CI (1.198,6.099) and scavenging (p < 0.001, aOR = 9.605, 95% CI (2.131,43.289) were significantly associated with GIT disorders.
Poor husbandry practices especially feeding on raw tubers, scavenging and mixing of different herds of pigs were associated with widespread pig GIT disorders. Involving women in strategies to improve pig GIT health as equal partners is suggested. Farmers are encouraged to adopt confinement and housing of pigs as the minimum good husbandry practices for sustainable pig production.
养猪业是乌干达农村贫困人口的主要收入来源，该国130万户家庭共饲养了约447万头猪。然而，健康挑战以及养殖户知识的欠缺影响了养猪企业的生产力和利润。因此，本研究确定了乌干达马辛迪区小农户养猪户的知识和做法，以及猪胃肠道疾病的相关风险因素。
2020年3月至7月，采用封闭式问卷调查对马辛迪农村地区的170名小农户养猪户进行了横断面调查。对定性数据进行分析，并以频率、百分比及其95%置信区间的形式呈现。采用双变量和多变量分析来确定与胃肠道疾病相关的因素。
在170名养殖户中，男性和女性数量相等（各占50%），大多为猪的所有者（91.2%），是农村居民（88.8%），饲养其他动物品种（72.9%），有5至10年（72.4%）的养殖经验。其中，67.6%已婚，主要年龄在19至50岁组（90.6%），47.6%达到小学文化水平。养猪是为了创收（95.5%），79.4%报告其农场存在胃肠道疾病，全年影响所有年龄组的本地品种猪（57.0%）。同样，大多数养殖户了解胃肠道疾病的传播途径并遵守生物安全措施。然而，62.9%的养殖户治疗病猪，40.6%出售病猪，只有25.9%咨询兽医。在多变量逻辑回归分析中，女性养殖户（p = 0.018，OR = 3.163，CI：1.213，8.244）；不同猪群混合饲养（p = 0.003，aOR = 4.141，95%CI（1.317，13.013））；用生块茎喂猪（p = 0.017，aOR = 2.703，95%CI（1.198，6.099））以及散养（p < 0.001，aOR = 9.605，95%CI（2.131，43.289））与胃肠道疾病显著相关。
不良的饲养管理做法，特别是用生块茎喂猪、散养以及不同猪群混合饲养，与猪群普遍存在的胃肠道疾病有关。建议让女性作为平等伙伴参与改善猪胃肠道健康的策略。鼓励养殖户采用圈养和猪舍饲养作为可持续养猪生产的最低良好饲养管理做法。
