Socioeconomic Characteristics Influencing Level of Awareness of Aflatoxin Contamination of Feeds among Livestock Farmers in Meru District of Tanzania

Table 3

Awareness distribution on fungal toxins contamination of feeds.

Respondents’ perceptions on feed aflatoxins	Frequency (%)
Possible presence of fungal toxins in feeds (n = 258)
Yes	133 (52)
No	111 (43)
Not certain	14 (5)
Specific probable fungal toxins in feeds (n = 133)
Aflatoxins	8 (6)
Other toxin fungal names	26 (20)
Do not know	99 (74)
Feed ingredient susceptible to fungal toxin contamination (n = 133)
Maize bran	96 (72)
Wheat feeds	3 (2)
Wheat pollard	5 (4)
Sunflower seed cake	1 (1)
Cotton seed cake	1 (1)
Other feed ingredients	4 (3)
Do not know	23 (17)
Possibility that fungal toxins in feeds affect animal health (n = 133)
Yes	113 (84)
Not certain	18 (14)
No	2 (2)
Possibility that fungal toxins are transferred from feeds to foods of animal origin	(n = 133)
Yes	21 (16)
Not certain	11 (8)
No	101 (76)
Signs to suspect presence of fungal toxins in feeds (n = 133)
Abnormal colour	66 (48)
Abnormal consistence	24 (18)
Bad odour (rotten/soil smell)	47 (36)
Insect/larva presence	3 (2)
Impaired animal health/deaths	13 (5)
Do not know any indicator	24 (18)
Ability to detect mould in feeds (n = 133)	133
Yes	123 (93)
No	9 (7)
Not certain	1 (1)
Possibility of detoxifying aflatoxins in feeds (n = 133)	133
Yes	83 (62)
No	38 (29)
Not certain	12 (9)
Heard about aflatoxins (258)
Yes	71 (28)
No	187 (72)
Means through which aflatoxins were heard (71)
Reading	3 (4)
Mass media (radio/TV)	49 (69)
Seminars/experts	11 (16)
Friends/neighbours	8 (11)
Time when heard about aflatoxin(s)
≤one year ago	40 (56)
Two years ago	15 (21)
>two years ago	16 (23)