11. The SLDP was premised (like the FLDP) on the need to provide high quality animal protein in desirable quantities to the Nigerian public. One of the aims of the SLDP is to improve the quality and weight of cattle at slaughter through the establishment of smallholder cattle fattening credit scheme made available in different parts of the country.
12. Fattening ruminant livestock is an old practice especially among agro-pastoralists. It is a system of livestock production which aims at raising livestock for the market. The purpose has always been to feed livestock intensively for a limited period so as to attain desirable slaughter weight and make some profit from the process. Animals involved usually include cattle and sheep (mainly in the savanna region) and goats. The fattening of pigs has recently become an important activity in many parts of the sub-humid and humid zones. The fattening operation usually relies on the use of farm and household wastes such as the residues of maize, sorghum and millet. Others include groundnut, cowpea and soyabean haulm. Recently, the use of agro-industrial by-products has become important feed sources for fattening livestock. The most commonly used of these agro-industrial by-products are brewers spent grains (BSG) which are frequently dumped by the numerous breweries across the country. Brewers spent grains are believed to have high crude protein content and can be used as a main feed source for fattening livestock if supplemented with other energy source feeds.
13. Fattening schemes are intended by the executing agencies to raise the supply of meat substantially and at the same time provide additional income for participating beneficiaries. The organizational and technical components of the SHFS have been described by Craig (1982). This paper evaluates the socio-economic impact of the scheme vis-à-vis its stated objectives.
