Browsing by Author "Ngongolo, Kelvin"
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Item Assessing risk factors for Trypanosome infections in cattle in wildlife interface areas in Northern Tanzania(Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, 2019) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Estes, Anna B.; Hudson, Peter J.; Gwakisa, Paul S.Trypanosomosis is a vector-borne, tropical disease that causes mortality and morbidity in livestock and humans. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for trypanosome infection in cattle in the Maasai Steppe of northern Tanzania. We assessed the influence of age, sex, herd size and history of treatment against trypanosomosis as risk factors of trypanosome infection. Cattle blood samples were collected from 150 cattle in three villages in the vicinity of Tarangire National Park, which acts as a reservoir of tsetse flies, the trypanosome vector. Parasite species were identified using a nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (n-PCR). Smaller herd sizes, young age (1-2 years), and male sex significantly increased the risk of trypanosome infections. Efforts to control trypanosome infection should be strategically based on location and season while considering age, treatment and herd size as risk factors.Item Awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent Kihansi catchment in conservation of the re-introduced Kihansi spray toads (Nectophrynoides asperginis)(Elsevier BV, 2021) Sigala, Atuhombye; Ngongolo, Kelvin; Mmbaga, NazaCommunity awareness and participation in biodiversity conservation is vital for the establishment of community based conservation (CBC). However little information is available on the awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent to Kihansi catchment areas (KCA) on the conservation of re-introduced Kihansi spray toad (KST) and their habitat. This study focused on assessing the awareness and involvement of local communities adjacent to the KCA on the conservation of the re-introduced KSTs and their habitats. The study was conducted in three villages located adjacent to the Kihansi river gorge namely; Mgugwe, Udagaji and Ukami. Semi-structured questionnaires with both open and closed-ended questions were used to collect data from the respondents from villages surrounding the Kihansi Gorge through a cross-sectional survey. The awareness of local communities on the re-introduced KST was as follows; 98.9% (n = 361) had heard about KST and the variation across villages was significant (p < 0.05). In addition, 46.03% (n = 168) had ever seen the toads although only 27. 67% (n = 101) were able to identify the toads through their physical features. About 43.01% (n = 157) of people heard about KST through friends, while 33.15% (n = 121), and 23.84% (n = 87) heard from experts and local government leaders respectively with insignificant variation across the three villages (p = 0.236). The participation of local communities in conservation was low (<30%) which was related to little awareness of local communities on the re-introduced KST. Challenges such as habitat destruction, pollution, fires, and predation by invasive species have been reported to affect KSTs and their habitats. The study recommends strengthening the participation of local communities in habitat restoration, conservation education, and research activities on the re-introduced KST.Item Chicken production, flock size, management systems, and challenges in the Dodoma region in Tanzania(Elsevier Inc., 2021) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Chota, AndrewDodoma's population is growing rapidly creating a high demand for food security like chicken products. However, the distribution of chickens’ management systems, breed of chicken kept, and challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma are less documented. This study focused on finding out the productivity of chicken in terms of flock size and how it is affected by the management system, types/breed of chicken keeping, and evaluating the challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma. A cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from the two randomly selected districts namely, Kongwa and Dodoma Municipal. The results showed that the average flock size was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in Dodoma municipal (mean = 124.56 § 35.08, n = 200) than in Kongwa district (mean = 42.55 § 5.54, n = 200). Broiler and layers keeping under the intensive system were dominant in Dodoma municipal while local breed chicken under the free-range system was dominant in Kongwa district (P < 0.001). Diseases were the main challenge facing chicken production. It was eminent that, diseases and other challenges such as theft, predation, lack of experts, unavailable space and huts for keeping chicken, and insufficient feed staffs for chicken significantly lowered the chicken production in Dodoma (P < 0.05). It is conclusive that, the demand for chicken products in Dodoma is higher and will continue to increase. There is a need for chicken keepers to increase production to overcome the current deficit. The increases in production should go hand in hand with solving the challenges which face chicken production in Dodoma.Item Chicken production, flock size, management systems, and challenges in the Dodoma region in Tanzania(Elsevier BV, 2021) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Chota, AndrewDodoma's population is growing rapidly creating a high demand for food security like chicken products. However, the distribution of chickens’ management systems, breed of chicken kept, and challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma are less documented. This study focused on finding out the productivity of chicken in terms of flock size and how it is affected by the management system, types/breed of chicken keeping, and evaluating the challenges facing chicken production in Dodoma. A cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate data from the two randomly selected districts namely, Kongwa and Dodoma Municipal. The results showed that the average flock size was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in Dodoma municipal (mean = 124.56 ± 35.08, n = 200) than in Kongwa district (mean = 42.55 ± 5.54, n = 200). Broiler and layers keeping under the intensive system were dominant in Dodoma municipal while local breed chicken under the free-range system was dominant in Kongwa district (P < 0.001). Diseases were the main challenge facing chicken production. It was eminent that, diseases and other challenges such as theft, predation, lack of experts, unavailable space and huts for keeping chicken, and insufficient feed staffs for chicken significantly lowered the chicken production in Dodoma (P < 0.05). It is conclusive that, the demand for chicken products in Dodoma is higher and will continue to increase. There is a need for chicken keepers to increase production to overcome the current deficit. The increases in production should go hand in hand with solving the challenges which face chicken production in Dodoma.Item Chicken production, flock size, management systems, and challenges in the Dodoma region in Tanzania(Elsevier BV, 2021-06) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Chota, AndrewRaising chickens is an important activity in many resources constrained households in developing countries, as it is an important source of economic resilience as well as nutrition and food security. Despite its importance, the poultry industry faces many difficulties, including diseases due to low biosecurity and a lack of knowledge on proper management. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to study the management practices that influence the performance of chickens in the households raising them in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. The results showed that 89% of respondents were vaccinating their chickens against diseases like Newcastle, fowlpox, infectious bursal disease and salmonellosis. However, many chicken farmers had incorrect information on the vaccination programs, including the frequency of vaccination and the timing of vaccinations, versus the provision of drugs for prophylactic purposes. The results showed that 29.5% of the farmers vaccinated weekly and 63.5% provided prophylactic drugs weekly. Furthermore, raising different types of chickens (OR = 1.45; p<0.01), frequency of vaccinations, (OR = 1.23; p<0.04), larger flocks of chickens (OR = 1.7; p<0.01), small number of chickens per drinker (OR = 1.64; p<0.05) and per feeder (OR = 2.4; p<0.05) were management factors associated with positive chicken performance in terms of growth rate, egg production and weight gain. It is recommended that the farmers are equipped with the necessary information on best management practices like vaccination regimes, prophylaxis timing and proper ratios of chickens per feeder and drinker.Item Chicken productivity under improved health care and management practices in Dodoma region, Tanzania(University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2023) Chota, Andrew; Ngongolo, Kelvin; Ngumbi, Anna; Mmbaga, Naza; Msuta, GilbertRaising chickens is an important activity in many resources constrained households in developing countries, as it is an important source of economic resilience as well as nutrition and food security. Despite its importance, the poultry industry faces many difficulties, including diseases due to low biosecurity and a lack of knowledge on proper management. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted to study the management practices that influence the performance of chickens in the households raising them in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. The results showed that 89% of respondents were vaccinating their chickens against diseases like Newcastle, fowlpox, infectious bursal disease and salmonellosis. However, many chicken farmers had incorrect information on the vaccination programs, including the frequency of vaccination and the timing of vaccinations, versus the provision of drugs for prophylactic purposes. The results showed that 29.5% of the farmers vaccinated weekly and 63.5% provided prophylactic drugs weekly. Furthermore, raising different types of chickens (OR = 1.45; p<0.01), frequency of vaccinations, (OR = 1.23; p<0.04), larger flocks of chickens (OR = 1.7; p<0.01), small number of chickens per drinker (OR = 1.64; p<0.05), and per feeder (OR = 2.4; p<0.05) were management factors associated with positive chicken performance in terms of growth rate, egg production and weight gain. It is recommended that the farmers are equipped with the necessary information on best management practices like vaccination regimes, prophylaxis timing and proper ratios of chickens per feeder and drinker.Item Communities’ awareness of afforestation and its contribution to the conservation of lizards in Dodoma, Tanzania(Nature Portfolio, 2022) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Kilonzo, MhujiAfforestation is providing the remedy for deforestation, which is among the greatest challenges of biodiversity conservation in Tanzania. Efforts for afforestation are taking place in Dodoma, which are anticipated to have social and ecological positive effects. This study provides information on the perception of local communities towards afforestation and how afforestation can harbor other wildlife species like lizards. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information from respondents who were chosen at random in the afforestation area. Pitfalls and direct observation under constrained time intervals were used to sample lizards in two categories of vegetation (afforested and non-afforested areas; n = 1040 samples). Awareness of afforestation was significantly affected by age group (P < 0.005) and nature of course taking. In this case, those who studied natural courses like biology, forest, and aquatic science were more aware of afforestation and they had a likelihood of being involved in afforestation programs (P < 0.05). Eight species of lizards were identified in the study area where seven species were found in afforested areas while three were found in non-afforested areas, where Agama lionotus was the dominant species. The diversity of lizards was higher in afforested areas (Shannon Weiner index H = 1.37) than in non-afforested areas (Shannon Weiner index H = 0.99). More afforestation program awareness and conservation education are required to ensure the sustainability of afforestation efforts in Dodoma. Afforestation showed a significant contribution to the conservation of lizards. Lizards can be used as good indicator species to understand and monitor the success of afforestation.Item Community poultry project for conserving the wildlife species in Magombera forest, Tanzania(SCIENCEDOMAIN INTERNATIONAL, 2018) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Sigala, Ezekiel; Mtoka, SamuelAims: Poaching of wildlife is a major challenge in their conservation, including endemic ones like Procolobus gordonorum Matschie. Local communities in Udzungwa and Magombera poach for subsistence and small scale commerce. The Community poultry project adjacent to Magombera forest contributed towards enhancing the conservation of wildlife species through providing community with poultry as an alternative livelihood where meat and income can be generated in legal and convenient methods. Place and Duration of Study: This study took place in communities surrounding the Magombera Forest in the Morogoro region of Tanzania. The study was conducted from July 2018 to January 2019. Methodology: Random semi-structured questionnaires with Likert scaling were administered to 119 local community members neighbouring the Magombera Forest. A training workshop in which the participants were trained on veterinary and improved rearing practices in order to address the challenges were administered to 52 participants, followed by pre- and post-training evaluation questions that assessed the challenges and opportunity for poultry keeping. Results: Sixty one percent of respondents reported that they kept chickens before training, after training all showed an inclination to keep chickens for meat and income generation. The respondents reported that challenges for poultry keeping are diseases control, market for products, rearing system and predators and parasites. Conclusion: Training on poultry production to enhance conservation of biodiversity in Magombera forest is essential. However from this study it is clear that crucial challenges (such as diseases) for successful poultry production, specified by local communities, need to be dealt with first.Item Conservation education, alternative livelihood and habitat restoration: The best strategies for conservation of Magombera forest reserve(SCIENCEDOMAIN INTERNATIONAL, 2019) Mahulu, Anna; Lugelo, Ahmed; Mtoka, Samuel; Ngongolo, KelvinThe Magombera forest is a home of endemic and endangered biological species such as Udzungwa red colobus monkey (Procolobus gordonorum) and the Magombera chameleon (Kinyongia magomberae). However, the forest is facing high threat of disappearing through resources extraction pressure from adjacent local communities. The project aimed at improving conservation of Magombera forest by involving the adjacent communities through provision of conservation education, restoration initiatives and bee keeping as alternative livelihoods. The study revealed that the concept of forest conservation is well supported. Nevertheless, people are extracting resources from the forest for their subsistence. The dependence of the people on the forest is due to lack of alternatives to the forest resources, inability of the people to produce alternatives source of income and little conservation education. The project resulted in a community having a positive attitude change towards conservation. The improved bee keeping was introduced to the community and successfully adopted. About 89% of indigenous trees planted for restoring the degraded area of the forest survived, only 11% of trees planted could not survive. There is a need to expand the scale of the project by involving many participants particularly youths that showed strong interest in the project.Item Drug used in controlling chickens’ diseases, the withdrawal periods and the threats of drugs residues in food chain in Tanzania: a review.(East Java Biological Soceity, 2020) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Omary, Kitojo; Andrew, ChotaDrugs have been used by many farmers for the treatment of most infectious diseases in chicken regardless of their residue effects to human health if proper management has not adhered. This paper focuses on finding out the common chicken diseases, their prevalence, drugs used for treatment, and their residue implication in the chicken products and by-products. A systematic literature-review was used to synthesis the information from soft and hard copy sources of information. In this paper, it was noted that different infectious diseases were affecting chicken in Tanzania and other countries including Newcastle (Prevalence 7-90% per flock), Infectious bursal disease (Prevalence 7-100% per flock), Fowl Cholera (Prevalence 1-60% per flock), and Fowl Typhoid (Prevalence 0-20% per flock). As a remedy, drugs such as Amprolium, oxytetracycline, and sulphanilamide were used for treatment which could prompt antibiotic residues in chicken products and by-products. The antibiotic residue was reported in meat, eggs, liver, and kidneys of the chicken which are considered edible to a human thus posing public health challenges. In this regard, there is a need to create awareness to the farmers on the proper use of the drugs. In this case, the understanding of the withdrawal period for the applied drugs can minimize the risk of drug residues in chicken productsItem Ecological factors and the prevalence of trypanosome infections and its economic implications for livestock industry in Simanjiro, Tanzania: A Review(SCIENCEDOMAIN INTERNATIONAL, 2019) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Mtoka, Samuel; Rubanza, Chrispinus D.Aims: Trypanosomosis is among one of the tropical neglected diseases which have impacted on human, livestock and wildlife. Different factors have been discussed by various researchers but ecological factors being considered in nutshell. This paper aimed at reviewing details on how the ecological factors influence the prevalence of trypanosome. Study Design: Literature review where various literatures have been reviewed and the information synthesized. This paper has placed focus on: habitat type, wildlife management type, wildlife abundance and diversity, fire incidence and human activities. Place and Duration of Study: This literature review work focused in Tanzania mainland and specifically on Simanjiro district for economic implication of trypanosomiasis for the period of 2011-2013 years. Methodology: Literature Searching was done using key words in the following search engines Research gate, (https://www.researchgate.net), Google scholar, (https://scholar.google.com/), and PubMed. Manual search in printed documents were done in reports from government, poster, proceedings and publications which were not available in the internet. Results: Variation of habitat types was observed to have impacts on spatial and temporal distribution of various tsetse flies and wildlife species which are vector and reservoirs of the diseases respectively. Incidence of fire affected the distribution of tsetse flies, wildlife and prevalence of trypanosome. For the interval of three years (2011-2013) a loss of more than 1millionUSD associated with trypanosomiasis is estimated in Simanjiro district. More money is used by pastoralists in treatment of animals than in spraying pesticides. Conclusion: It is recommended that, more work to be done on the impact of ecological factors on trypanosomiasis. Also more effort is required in controlling the disease through collaboration of different stakeholders such as livestock officers, ecologists, veterinarians and other relevant agencies.Item Effect of sex, age, diseases, and control intervention on chickens’ mortality and its financial implications in Dodoma, Tanzania(Elsevier, 2022) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Chota, AndrewChicken diseases significantly contribute to the financial losses of small-scale chicken keepers in Tanzania through mortality and control management. However, little is known about the relationship between chicken mortality and disease, sex, and control measures. In addition, the financial losses for farmers in Dodoma resulted from mortality due to diseases and poor productivity due to improper management. A cross-sectional, longitudinal questionnaire survey with multistage sampling was conducted in the Kongwa district and Dodoma municipality to gather data from 400 randomly selected households (200 from each district). Semistructured questionnaires were used for data collection over four quarters of the year. Low morbidity and high mortality due to diseases were observed in first and second quarters (Q1 and Q2), whereas high morbidity and low mortality were observed in third and fourth quarters (Q3 and Q4). The Kongwa district experienced significantly higher mortality than the Dodoma Municipal district (P < 0.001). Disease mortality was negatively affected by cocks, hens and chicks (P < 0.001). Control interventions such as treatment, prophylaxis use lowered the effect of chicken mortality due to diseases and pronounced effects when at least 2 approaches were applied by the farmers (P < 0.005). The total financial loss incurred by the 400 interviewees is approximately Tsh. 119.9 million (52,146.96 USD). This study outlines the financial losses associated with mortality, poor productivity, poor performance, and increased costs of disease management and control in chicken-keeper households in the Dodoma region. To avoid these losses, farmers and other stakeholders should design proper control strategies while considering the season of the year and disease categories affecting chickens.Item Impacts, mitigation strategies of Covid-19 on human well-being in Africa: A brief review(Elsevier BV, 2023) Ngongolo, KelvinThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted society around the world and had an impact on many facets of human welfare. This essay offers a thorough analysis of how COVID-19 has affected people's quality of life, particularly in Africa. The study highlights the socio-economic, health, and psychological effects of the pandemic in the area, such as elevated mortality rates, difficulties with mental health, a downturn in the economy, disruption of the supply chain, and disruptions in social interactions, by looking at a wide range of scholarly articles, reports, and data sources from the PUBMed database. It also looks at regional responses, difficulties encountered, and viable solutions to lessen the consequences and improve people's well-being. It also considers prospective benefits, including enhanced cleanliness standards, technological breakthroughs, and societal resilience. The review's findings advance knowledge of the multiple effects of COVID-19 on human wellbeing and offer policymakers, researchers, and practitioners' useful information for formulating plans to lessen the adverse effects and advance the general welfare of people and communities in the post-pandemic era.Item Influence of land cover and host species on trypanosome infection in cattle and its socio-economic impacts to pastoralists of the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania.(Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, 2020) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Shirima, Gabriel; Mpolya, Emmanuel A; Estes, Anna B; Hudson, Peter J.; Gwakisa, Paul S.Introduction: Trypanosome infections result into trypanosomosis in cattle and this is an infection detrimental to pastoralist income. The patterns of transmission are thought to be influenced by ecological factors including wildlife and land cover. We assessed the influence of the relative abundance of wildlife and land cover (cultivation and habitat type) on the presence of trypanosome infections in replicated cattle herds of the Maasai Steppe. Methodology: We undertook a cohort field study in three villages of the Maasai Steppe: Sukuro, Kimotorok and Oltukai. The study took place in July 2017 and October 2017 and utilized 50 cattle from each village. Pastoralists were asked questions during each visit when blood sampled were taken to seek their viewpoint on the relative abundance of wildlife, habitat types and cultivation observed in the areas their cattle grazed. In addition, the percentage cover of cultivated land and habitat types in the grazing areas were determined during field visits and participatory mapping with pastoralists. A systematic review was used to understand the socio-economic importance of trypanosomosis. The species of trypanosomes in cattle were identified using nested Polymerase chain reaction (n-PCR). Results: There was a significant and positive association between the presence of trypanosome infection and the abundance of wildlife within grazing areas, in particular the abundance of buffaloes (Odd Ratio > 1, P = 0.038, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.38) when cattle grazed in woodland habitats. Cultivation on grazing areas had a negative association with the presence of trypanosome infections (R < 1, P = 0.001, 95% CI 0.0614 to 0.0986) in cattle but this varied between villages. A systematic review showed that trypanosomosis had socio-economic impacts such as loss of income, reduced quality, and quantity of livestock products, management cost, and inadequate provisions of socio-services and potential zoonotic transmission to humans. Conclusion & recommendations: The socio-economic impacts of trypanosomosis will continue to be a challenge to pastoralists when cattle are grazed close to wildlife areas which are infested with tsetse fly habitats. Control strategies for trypanosome infection in cattle on the Maasai Steppe should consider the interaction of cattle with ecological factors.Item Influence of seasonal cattle movement on prevalence o f trypano-some infections in cattle in the Maasai Steppe(ClinMed International Library, 2019) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Estes, Anna B.; Hudson, Peter J.; Gwakisa, Paul S.Animal African Trypanosomosis is a Neglected Tropical Disease with significant impacts to pastoral community livelihoods. Our study sought to determine the influence of seasonal cattle movements on the prevalence of trypanosome infections in cattle in the pastoral areas of the Maasai Steppe. Identification of spatial and temporal dynamics of trypanosome infections in cattle is essential for designing effective control strategies. To identify potential hotspots of trypanosome transmission, we worked with 5 pastoralists in each of 3 villages in the Maasai Steppe of northern Tanzania, and consecutively sampled 10 of each of their cattle in 3 periods, covering both wet and dry season grazing ranges (July 2017 to January 2018). Each time blood was collected from the cattle, a prophylactic dose of diminazene aceturate was administered to clear any parasites acquired in the previous 3 months. We then used participatory mapping techniques to identify the areas where the pastoralists had grazed their herds since the last sampling period, and interviewed them about any disease control methods they practice. Trypanosome infections in the sampled cattle blood were detected using nested polymerase chain reaction with ITS-1 primers. The overall prevalence of trypanosome infections across all sample periods and villages was 12%, though this varied distinctly by season and grazing area. Prevalence in July 2017 (19.33%) was significantly higher than prevalence in October 2017 (2%) (p < 0.05). A total of 45 grazing areas were identified and cattle acquired trypanosome infections in almost half of these (n =21). Targeted awareness on seasonality and hotspot areas of trypanosome infections will help Maasai pastoralists to plan movement of their cattle strategically to avoid disease risk. These results also suggest enhanced control strategies for Trypanosomosis during the months of the year when cattle are moved further from homesteads to graze in hotspot areas.Item The prevalence and determinants of Taenia multiceps infection (Cerebral Coenurosis) in small ruminants in Africa: A systematic review(MDPI, 2022) Kibona, Tito; Buza, Joram; Shirima, Gabriel; Lankester, Felix; Ngongolo, Kelvin; Hughes, Ellen; Cleaveland, Sarah; Allan, Kathryn J.Cerebral coenurosis is a fatal parasitic neurological disease affecting the brain and spinal cord of goats and sheep. Despite the large population of sheep and goats in Africa, there is very little awareness about the scale or effects of the disease. A systematic review was conducted to bridge the gap in the current understanding of the epidemiology of Taenia multiceps coenurosis in Africa. A detailed literature search was conducted in EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, Research4life (AGORA), and PubMed for studies in T. multiceps coenurosis in goats and sheep in Africa for the period spanning January 2000 to December 2019. The search identified 574 publications, of which only 11 studies were eligible, highlighting major gaps in reporting of this disease in Africa. Data were extracted and evidence synthesized in relation to prevalence and determinants for T. multiceps coenurosis. The descriptive summary statistics revealed a median (IQR) prevalence of coenurosis of 22.3% (range: 18.3–26.4 percent) for community based and 14.8% (range: 3.8–45.6) for abattoir-based studies. This high prevalence indicates that Taenia multiceps coenurosis is an important disease for small ruminant productivity in Africa. Knowledge of the determinants of prevalence could be used to inform preventive measures, including behaviour change among livestock keepers and those involved in livestock slaughter to break cycles of transmission between small ruminants and dogsItem Productivity and growth performance of chickens from small holder farmers in Dodoma,(EBSCO Open Research, 2023) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Mmbaga, Naza; Chota, AndrewThis study focused on the productivity of chickens in terms of stocking and growth performance of chickens kept by small-scale chicken holders and the associated factors in the Dodoma municipality in three wards, namely, Nkuhungu, Chang'ombe and Mnadani. A cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted to collect data on the perceptions of farmers raising chickens in terms of productivity. Similarly, a longitudinal survey was made by monitoring the chicks ages, ranging from 0 to 60 days (2 months). This study was used to collect data on the management performance of chicks from five selected farmers. A total of 390 individuals were interviewed, of whom 26.15% (n = 102) were from Nkuhungu, 41.28% (n = 161) from Chang'ombe, and 32.56% (n = 127) from Mnadani wards. Adult males (26 - 35 years old) (66.67%) were more likely to be involved in chicken keeping in Mnadani ward. Household size and chicken breed significantly contributed to the productivity of chickens in Dodoma, where layers production were leading. The growth performance of chicks over time was affected by the management system (e.g., free range and semi-intensive), age and sex of chickens, cleanliness, treatment regime, and flock size. In order to improve the productivity of chickens in Dodoma through the stocking rate and growth performance of chicks, we recommend that, the socio-demographic characteristics of the farmers raising chickens and other factors such as management strategies and systems be considered.Item Social-economic impact of chicken production on resource-constrained communities in Dodoma, Tanzania(Elsevier Inc., 2021) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Omary, Kitojo; Andrew, ChotaChickens, in many households, are kept by women and the youths, providing employment and means of increasing family economic gains. However, little information on the social-economic contribution of chickens' production in Dodoma is available. This study examined the potential of chickens' production in Kongwa district and Dodoma municipality in Tanzania. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey (with Likert scaling) was conducted, and in-depth interviews were used to gather information from the local livestock keepers. A total of 200 were interviewed, and of these, 33.93% were male and 66.07% were female. The entire family was responsible for chicken management in 66.07% of the households, whereby, in 25% of the households, only women were involved, and in 7.01% of the households, only men were involved in rearing chickens. Chicken production contributed socially and economically through meat, manure, offerings, source of income, aesthetic value (beauty), provision of school fees, and source of employment. The contribution of chicken production socially and economically among these categories varied significantly (Kruskal-Wallis statistical test = 33.36, P < 0.001). The potential customers for the chicken and their products were nearby shops (60.71%), individuals (retails) (85.71%), animal market place (Mnadani) (62.5%), travelers (55.35%), and restaurants (61.71%). The average selling price for the chicken was 12,500 Tanzanian Shilling (Tsh), whereas, for cocks, it was 13000 Tsh, and hens were sold at 10,000 Tsh. Chicken keeping is a very important sector in resource-constrained families as it provides for family proteins and income which support family health care, education, and other social needs. However, the productivity is not encouraging, so more education and support on chicken keeping is essential to enhance a positive economic impact on the local communities.Item A study on the productivity and mortality rates of native and blended goats in Dodoma, Tanzania(Springer, 2022) Ngongolo, Kelvin; Mmbaga, Naza EmmanuelThe focus of breeding animals such as goats has been to increase productivity and other benefits from domestic animals. A breeding programme for producing blended goats is ongoing in Mpwapwa, Dodoma, Tanzania. However, few studies have been conducted to understand the performance of the produced breed (blended goat) in comparison with local indigenous goats. This study assessed the performance of blended and local indigenous goats in terms of milk and meat productivity while taking into consideration birth type, mortality rate, diseases causing mortality, and management system used. Primary and secondary data collection methods were used in this study. The weight, length, and girth of 2-year-old kids were measured in the morning and evening, and milk production in a lactating doe was recorded. Secondary data on the weight, length, and girth of inborn between 2010 and 2020. The results showed significantly higher productivity for blended goats than for indigenous goats in terms of meat and milk production (P < 0.005). The mortality rate of indigenous goats was not significantly higher than that of blended goats (P > 0.05). Diseases significantly influence goat mortality. Breed, management system, and milking time had a significant impact on goat productivity. For instance, morning milking produced significantly more milk than evening milking (P < 0.05). It is conclusive that the blended goat performs better than the indigenous goats in terms of milk and meat productivity. We recommend and encourage the adoption of blended goats by farmers who want to maximize goat production while considering other factors such as milking time, disease intervention, and management system used.