Disease burden affecting pig production in Nigeria: Review of current issues and challenges

The increased interest in pig production as a complementary source of animal protein has led to pig population growth in Nigeria. Disease outbreaks represent the major constraint to profitable pig production in locations where there is absence of religious barriers to pork production and consumption. Important pig diseases reported in the country and the location of the pig population affected are highlighted in this review. African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, trypanosomosis, babesiosis, eperythrozoonosis, helminthosis, coccidiosis and other parasitoses impact on the production system by negatively affecting feed conversion efficiency, reproduction and growth rates as well as causing piglet and adult mortalities. The economic losses due to the disease burden and inadequate intervention strategies are current issues facing the pig production industry. The risk of zoonotic spread of influenza, trypanosomiasis, larva migrans, teniasis, mange, cryptosporidiosis, balantidiasis, ancylostomiasis, entamoebiasis and jigger fleas from affected pigs is real. Disease control strategies through the provision of veterinary resources and services need attention, and a paradigm shift is required for sustainability and expansion of the pig production capacity in the country.