Improvement strategies of Guinea pig

(Cavia porcellus) breeding

in Ivory Coast
Ir NGoran David Vincent KOUAKOU
Lige, 15 October 2011
Amphi B, Facult de Mdecine Vtrinaire, Universit de
Lige, Boulevard de Colonster 20, 4000 Lige, Belgium
Symposium VET 2011
Veterinary Medicine in the tropics
CONTENT
Context
Objectives
Methodology
Results
An example of extension
Conclusion
Originates from the Andes
1000 years ago by the Incas
In Africa between the XVIII
th
and
XIX
th
century
Extension in 1980
Africa (Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria,
Sierra Leone, Togo, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Benin, Burkina
Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal,
Tanzania, Gabon and Ivory Coast)
(Avit et al., 1999; Fransolet et al.,
1994 ; Hardouin & Thys, 1997;
Zaldivar, 1997b)
Context
Location of Ivory Coast
Context
First producer of cacao
in the world with 40%
Context
Socio-political crisis (2002-2011)
Slower economic growth
Increase in the poverty rate (33 to 49%)
HIPC since March 2009
At the national level:
12.6% of rural households (1,269,549 people) in
food insecurity
Including 2.5% (232,602 people) in severe food
insecurity
Context
Ivory Coast dependent on import for animal
protein
Remedial solutions already implemented:
poultry, sheeps, pigs, rabbits and cane rats
No Guinea pig breeding project
Nutritional interest
Nutritional value of its meat is higher than that of
meat from goats, poultry, pigs, cattle and sheep
20 females and two males is sufficient to cover the
protein needs of a family of six people (CTA, 1993)
Socio-economic interest
Substantial contribution of income for many families
[education, purchase of clothes, savings for children
(Nuah, 2006; Pourtoy, 2008)]
Easy integration in agricultural systems:
consumption of weed and use of faeces and
refused material as fertilizer
Location of study:
Survey:
Cross-sectional and retrospective
One pass
Target population: farmers and
consumers
Sampling:
Non-probability
Snowball (Rubin & Babbie, 1998).
Methodology
Objectives
Provide a better understand of
Guinea pig farming
Propose an incentive strategy to
practice this breeding
38%
34%
28%
Child (7 to 13 years)
Adolescent (14 to 17 years)
Adult (old 18 years)
268 guinea pig breeders:
Results
Presentation of the current situation
Socio-economic characteristics of farmers and consumers
202 consumers: majority were men (87.8%)
Their presence is less common in residential areas (14.3%) compared
to other areas (19 to 40%).
During the survey, 2416 guinea pigs
were counted, including 889 males.
The average per farm was 9.0 7.4.
Results
Livestock and infrastructure
The food distribution happens two to three times a day, without supply of
drinking water.
Results
Food for Guinea pigs
Panicum maximum
Guinea grass
Ipomoea batatas
Leaf and stem of sweet potato
Pennisetum purpuruem
Elephant grass
Euphorbia heterophylla
" Milk" grass
Risk of inbreeding and high mortality rates
Sex-ratio of the begetters observed: 1/2

Average litter size per female: 2
Results
Reproductive management
Hygiene
Hygiene follow up in farms non-existent
Harm predators: cats, dogs, snakes, thieves and red
ants
Marketing takes place on the farm due to lack of selling points
Dealers in the markets of Yamoussoukro and San Pedro
- 0.4 to 1.5 Euros for a male
- 0.4 to 3.8 Euros for a female
Results
Marketing and consumption
The consumption of Guinea pig meat is very common
althrough there are rare instances of prejudice.
Guinea pig meat is tender and has a taste similar to that of
white meat (chicken and rabbit) and rodent such as the
Gambian rat, squirrel and grasscutter
Results
Incentive strategies in the practice
of Guinea pig breeding
Sufficient Practice
in Guinea pig
breeding
Sensibilisation
campaign
Improving the
breeding system
and genetic
improvement
Better marketing
strategy
Means
End
Results
Sensibilisation
campaign
High consumption of
Guinea pigs
Abandonment of
prejudice
Better knowledge of the
animal
Mitigation of irrational
thinking associated with
Guinea pigs
More information
available
Means
End
Results
Means
End
Improving the breeding system and
genetic improvement
Higher productivity of Guinea pigs
Balanced diet
Low
mortality
Inbreeding
reduced
Breeds
more
productive
Suitable
infrastructure
Food
available
during the
dry season
Distribution
of quality
food
Developed
research
Control of
reproductive
technique
Diseases
treated
Absence of
predators
Results
Quick marketing of Guinea
pigs
Creation of a chain Motivation for new farmers
Increased number of selling
points
Increased purchase price of
the animal
Increased demand Farmers organisations
Means
End
Better marketing
strategy
School
restaurants
Results
Recommendation
Scientists
Household
breeding
Heads of
households
Breeders
Students
Teachers
Cooperative
education
People involved
Conclusion
In Ivory Coast, farms often suffer from a lack of
follow up and technical expertise
Strategies involving upward education could
participate in the sustainable extension of this
farming practice. This through school activities
educating the children and influencing their parents,
and by doing so, enabling vulnerable people to
reduce their food deficit a bit.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
Djibril Bassol, young breeder of
Guinea pigs in Kpangbassou
district of Yamoussoukro, Cte
dIvoire