Knowledge and Attitude of Livestock Farmers on Animal Welfare in Imo State, South East Nigeria

This study assesses the knowledge and attitudes of livestock farmers in Imo State, located in Nigeria's South East geopolitical zone, regarding animal welfare principles and their application in livestock management. Animal welfare is an increasingly important dimension of ethical livestock production, yet farmer awareness and adoption of welfare-improving practices in Nigeria remain poorly documented, particularly in the South East zone. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, structured questionnaires were administered to 180 livestock farmers across three local government areas in Imo State. The questionnaire assessed knowledge of the five freedoms of animal welfare, identification of common welfare indicators, attitudes toward animal pain and suffering, and self-reported animal welfare practices. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Findings revealed that 84 percent of respondents were unfamiliar with the five freedoms framework, though the majority expressed agreement with the principle that animals should not suffer unnecessarily. Stockmanship practices associated with poor welfare, including beating to move animals, prolonged hunger before transport, and withholding of water, were common and generally regarded as necessary management practices rather than welfare violations. Formal education level, participation in livestock training programmes, and access to veterinary services were the strongest positive predictors of welfare knowledge scores. The study recommends integration of animal welfare education into agricultural extension programmes and the development of practical welfare assessment tools for smallholder farmers in South East Nigeria. Keywords: animal welfare, livestock farmers, Imo State, five freedoms, smallholder.