ABSTRACT

The main objective of this work was to study the factors affecting egg production in the Ikwuano local government area of Abia State. Data were collected using questionnaires administered on sixty (60) randomly selected respondents. Descriptive statistics, regression and analytical techniques were used on the data obtained. The study revealed that 65% of the respondents were males, and 71.7% of them were married. Analysis showed that 93.4% of the respondents are literates, while 6,7% of them have no formal education. The result of cost and returns analysis showed that out of the inputs Labour, medication, feed were N320000 (6.01%), N920600 (17.31%) and N1671000 (54.77%) respectively this indicates that feed was found to be the most costly input among the variable inputs cost. Considering the total production input and output of poultry farmers in the study area shows that egg production in the study area is profitable. The total fixed cost of production was N24,04780. The results further indicated a total production output of N33,442,999. This shows that egg production in the study area is profitable. The regression analysis showed that the double-log function had the co-efficient of multiple determination (R2) of (77%) and that increase in experience, cooperatives, household size, labour, medication, feed and education will yield more output. It is recommended that government should help provide producers with improved breeds of layers, extension services to increase their education level, access to necessary medication for the birds, a decrease in the cost of feed. Government should create access of poultry egg producers to loan, grants etc so that they can have enough capital to fund the enterprise.