Impact of Pig Farming on the Physico-Chemical Properties of Soils in Makurdi Metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria

This study evaluates the environmental impact of pig farms on the health of the soil using bacteriological and physicochemical parameters in Makurdi metropolis, Benue State, Nigeria. Twenty (20) pig farms and pen houses were randomly but evenly selected from the four cardinal points of the study area: north (5 locations), south (5 locations), west (5 locations) and east (5 locations). Samples were collected in duplicates from sample points using a soil auger and placed into well-labeled/tagged polythene bags and taken for analysis. Result revealed the presence of eight (8) pathogens dominated in equal proportion by E. coli (16.7%), Proteus spp. (16.7%) and Klebsiella spp (16.7%). Mean Total Variable Cost (TVC) and Total Coliform Count (TCC) in soil samples were 223.25±8.13 cfu/ml and 143.18±8.37 cfu/ml respectively with significant variations observed at all locations (H= 35.22, P<0.05) whereas the control samples had the least counts in terms of temperature, conductivity, pH and nitrate. Two locations (F18 and F16) had the highest values of soil OM (13.1% and 13.08% respectively) while the control location had the lowest (4.7%). Soil TVC and TCC had very high positive and significant correlation (r= +0.944, P<0.05). Also, a very high positive and significant r- value was established between TVC (r= +0.923, P<0.05) or TCC (r= +0.869, P<0.05) while organic matter had high temperature indicating positive significant correlation coefficients (r= +0.872, P<0.05).