Influence of Sex, Age and Control Intervention on Chickens’ Mortality Due to Diseases and Financial Implications in Dodoma, Tanzania

Abstract

Chicken diseases contribute significantly to the financial loss of small-scale chicken keepers in Tanzania through mortality and control management. However, little information is available on the association of chicken mortality due to diseases with sex, age and control intervention. In addition, the extent of financial losses in farmers in Dodoma resulted from mortality due to diseases and poor productivity due to improper management.A cross-sectional survey with multistage sampling was carried out in the Kongwa district and Dodoma municipality to gather data from 400 randomly selected households (200 from each district). Semi-structured questionnaires were used during data collection in four quarters of the year. Low morbidity and high mortality due to diseases were observed in Q1 and Q2, while high morbidity and low mortality were observed in Q3 and Q4.The Kongwa district experienced significantly higher mortality than the Dodoma Municipal district (P<0.001). Mortality due to diseases was negatively affected by cocks, hens and chicks (P<0.001). Control interventions such as treatment, prophylaxis use lowered the effect of chicken mortality due to diseases and pronounced effects when at least two approaches are applied by the farmers (P<0.005). The total financial loss from the 400 interviewees was approximately Tsh. 119.9 million (52,146.96 USD). This study outlines the financial losses associated with mortality, poor productivity, poor performance, and increased costs of disease management and control in chicken keeper’s households in the Dodoma region. To avoid these losses, farmers and other stakeholders should design proper control strategies while considering the season of the year and the disease categories affecting chicken.