Assessment of Feed Resources, Management Practices and Mitigating Strategies to Feed Scarcity in Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) Production in North-Western Ghana

Abstract

Grasscutter farming is becoming common in Ghana. However, having access to sufficient and quality feed resources has been the major challenge for grasscutter production. To assess available feed resources, management practices and mitigating strategies to feed scarcity among grasscutter farmers, we interviewed 38 grasscutter farmers in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Fifteen local feed resources were identified as feedstuffs for grasscutters. Majority of farmers strongly agreed that their management practices were based on experiences from daily feeding (68.4%), education from field agents (78.9%) and cooperating with family members (65.8%). The majority of the farmers (71%) indicated inadequate rain in the dry season as the major cause of feed scarcity. Forty one percent of farmers traveled long distances to look for grasscutter feed while about 38% of farmers conserved feed toward feeding in the dry season. Grasscutter farmers must be encouraged to conserve adequate quantities of crop residues from cereals, legumes, roots and tubers and grass that are left in the field after harvest for feeding in the dry season. This study provides useful information on local feed resources and management practices that allow grasscutter production under the harsh environments in northern Ghana.