Determinants of Technical Efficiency of Sheep Production in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the technical efficiency and its determinants in Sheep production in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. A two-stage sampling procedures were used for the selection for the respondents, while, Stochastic frontier model was used for the analysis. Primary data were collected using the interview method with the aim of a structured questionnaire and respondents selected using random sampling. The result of the study revealed a mean technical efficiency of 0.83, implying that there is scope for farmers to improve their technical efficiency by about 17 % in the study area given the same resources under utilisation. The main sources of inefficiencies displayed by the average farmer were; level of education, management record keeping, herd size, and extension services. The study therefore recommends that informal and extension education should be channelled to the farmers in addition to the practice of artificial insemination to upgrade the present breeds for higher weight gain through feed conversion and higher productivity.