The Director of Veterinary Services, in Akwa Ibom, Dr Udo Obot,  last Thursday attributed low production capacity of piggery farmers in the state to ignorance of pen management.

Obot said this in Essien Udim local government area at a workshop on piggery farming organised by Adiasim Community Consultative Assembly for its members.

The director said that stock density was very critical to optimal production and health of the pigs.

He advised against accommodating many pigs in the pen exceeding its carrying capacity.

“Over stocking has been responsible for the high rate of deaths recorded in piggery farms across the state in recent times.”

He disclosed that the number of breast of a parent stock determined the reproductive capacity and the number of young ones that would be born.

Obot also noted that poor nutrition could affect the health and reproductive capacity of pigs.

He then urged the farmers to give  sufficient feeds to their pigs particularly those rich in Vitamin A.

In his keynote address, Mr Gabriel Udoma, the Programme Manager of Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), said that inadequate knowledge was responsible for poor yield recorded by farmers.

He said that modern agricultural practice demanded knowledge of farming method, necessary agricultural inputs, credit and consumers who would purchase the produce.

Udoma also decried the poor attitude of young people towards agriculture.

He called on youths and women to see agriculture as business, adding that the state government was determined to support agro-based entrepreneurs.