5/5/13 Food security and economic implications of small ruminant fetal wastages in Nigeria: a case of an abattoir www.lrrd.org/lrrd25/5/alha25079.htm 1/7 Livestock Research for Rural Development 25 (5) 2013 Guide for preparation of papers LRRD Newsletter Citation of this paper Food security and economic implications of small ruminant fetal wastages in Nigeria: a case of an abattoir N B Alhaji and I A Odetokun* Niger State Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, State Veterinary Hospital, Bosso-Minna, Nigeria. * Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Department of Veterinary Public Health & Preventive Medicine UI P.O. Box 9436, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. ismail23us@gmail.com Abstract This study assesses the food security and economic impacts of fetal wastages in slaughtered small ruminants at Minna municipal abattoir, northern Nigeria during a ten-year period (2001 to 2010). A total of 6812 sheep and 220993 goats were slaughtered at the slaughterhouse during the study period. Of the 581 total pregnant ewes slaughtered, the highest of 102 (20.4%) was in 2002 and lowest of 18 (4.9%) in 2010. The total pregnant does slaughtered was 2862 with highest of 369 (4.3%) in 2008 and lowest of 229 (1.7%) in 2001. An estimated edible nutrition parts of the lambs wasted was 32303.60kg and those of kids loss was 122779.8kg in the period. Slaughter of pregnant ewes and does cause fetal wastages resulting in a total economic loss of N 131820890.00 ($US 6693880.57). The estimated edible parts of the lambs and kids wasted presents a threat to food security with consequent effects of decrease in nutrition values of animal origin to humans. These wastages are of serious economic and food security concerns to pastoralists and agro-pastoralists and the Nigerian livestock industry. Information is needed on the nutrition and economic losses due to small ruminant fetal wastages from most other slaughterhouses for strategic planning and decision-making on animal food security particularly in the country and indeed sub-Saharan Africa. Key words: does, economic losses, ewes Introduction Small ruminants play a significant role in providing food and financial security for rural populations, especially in developing countries. The small size of sheep and goats has distinct economic, managerial, and biological advantages. For instance, they can be conveniently cared for by women and children. Sheep and goats need little housing space, consume low amounts of feed, and can supply both meat and milk in quantities suitable for immediate family consumption (Workneh 1999). Sheep and goats are the main small ruminants in the Nigerian livestock industry and provide bulks of protein, essential minerals and vitamins. Nigeria falls among countries with very low per caput production and consumption of animal protein (Nwakpu and Ugwu 2004). The mean protein intake (meat, milk, eggs and fish) per caput per day in Nigeria has been estimated at 14.85g, with meat