Village Production System Research Articles

Participatory evaluation and demonstration of productive performance of Bovans Brown chicken under village production system in Menit Shasha Woreda, West Omo Zone, Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Charuhurit kebele in Menit Shasha woreda West Omo Zone, south west region (SWR) Ethiopia. Beforethe commencement of the study need assessment was done on existing livestock production system and their constraints throughconducting group discussion with pastoralists, then the pastoralists were prioritized poultry production system as major problem needimmediate intervention. A pastoralist and agro-pastoralist extension research group (PAPREG) which containing 25 pastoralists wereestablished and randomly assigned to different production system (10 intensive productions, 10 semi intensive and five extensiveproduction system). 125 pullets of Bovan Brown chicken breed age 75 days purchased from Bushoftu Alema farm were distributed andbefore distribution training on housing, feeding, health and overall handling system of animals were given for pastoralists. The studyrevealed that high mortality rate or low survivability rate was observed before the onset egg production in the study area. There wereno significant differences in age of animals before onset of egg lying, but number of egg produced every month was significantly (p< 0.05) higher between production systems. The average age at onset of egg lying was 22.10 weeks. The result shown that significantly(p < 0.05) higher number (23.77) of eggs per month per hen was recorded for intensive production system. Finally, the authors concludedthat Bovan Brown chicken breed under village production in terms of their egg production performance were feasible in the study areato enhance family nutrition and income generations.

Quantitative analysis of knowledge, attitude and practice of workers in chicken slaughter slabs toward food safety and hygiene in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

IntroductionIn low- and middle-income countries, chicken serves as a cheap source of protein and an income source for many households. It is particularly important in the capital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where chicken is regularly consumed. However, hygiene standards are very low, posing a significant public health risk.MethodsTo better understand the food safety situation, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of the hygienic practices of 155 randomly selected chicken slaughter outlets and carcass shops with a semi-structured questionnaire.Results and discussionOf the outlets visited, 59% are not licensed, and 63% are not regularly inspected, operating in the dominant, largely unregulated informal sector. More than 80% of the chickens are sourced from village production systems, but around 6% of the birds die during transport. The monetary loss due to chicken death during transportation is around four million USD annually. Market hygiene is poor; 86% of the holding pens have no hard floor and are not washed regularly. Almost all (92%) chickens are slaughtered on bare earth floors; bleeding, plucking, and evisceration are done on a wooden table that is rarely washed. On average, the same scalding water is used for 33 birds, seven scalded at a time. Most respondents (49%) thought that plucking and evisceration were the major cause of contamination of carcasses with foodborne pathogens. Most operators only washed their hands and knives with tap water at the beginning of the slaughtering process. Some shops use refrigerators and freezers to store carcasses before selling. However, they store carcasses with other foods like fish, beef and vegetables, facilitating further cross-contamination. There were rats (26%), cats (39%) and dogs (30%) present at outlets, roaming for food, especially roadside outlets. Training schemes on hygienic food handling practices were favoured by outlets as an approach to improve matters; however, improvements in food safety will be limited without significant upgrades in infrastructure and facilities. Slaughter slabs need a standard house with stable energy, adequate airflow, clean water, toilets, detergents and freezers. Also, they need equipment like knives, tables and dishes made of high-quality, easy-to-clean materials.

Assessment of Production Performances of Exotic Chickens Under Village Production System in Kembata-Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The current study was carried out between July 2019 and October 2021 in the districts of Doyogena, Hadero- Tunto (HT), and Angecha of kembata-Tembaro (KT) Zone, Southern Ethiopia, with the aim of assessing management practices and production performance of various exotic chickens under village production system. Based on the possibility for distributing exotic chicken, the districts were deliberately selected. A random selection of nine kebeles was made. Data from a household survey were gathered utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire and file monitoring. To evaluate the data quantitatively, descriptive statistics were employed. For the purpose of strengthening data from the household survey, information from focus groups and individual observations was qualitatively evaluated. The study found out that, the chicken house was constricted 60.4% of the respondents share with people, 20.4% separate with animals and 19.2% constricted separate chicken house. The main feed supplements used for chicken were maize and wheat grains (55.6%), industrial by products (15.2%) and kitchen waste (29.2%). The respondents were provided water as free access (32.2%), in the morning and evening (30%) and provided only in the morning (37.8%). About (78.9%) of the respondents did not used vaccine to their chicken against different diseases. The average mean (60.4%) and (70.2%) of the respondents had good market access to buy chicken production inputs and to sell eggs and chicken, respectively. The breed (BB) was superior for number of egg/year (221.47±12.8) than (SSB) breed (202.91±16.15) and (PK)breed (184.29±5.65); whereas (PK)breed was superior for average age at first egg lying (155±0.94) than (SSB) breed (176.92±0.49) and (BB)breed (168.21±2.78). Diseases and feed shortage were major constraints in the study areas. The overall results of the present study reveal that the majority of the respondents were not used separate chicken housing system and the main feed resources used for their chicken was obtained from grains. Disease and feed problems were the first and the second constraint of exotic chicken production in the study areas. The overall finding indicate that the performance of exotic chicken under farmers’ management condition (BB) breed had better egg production performance than (SSB) and (PK) breeds; whereas (PK)breed was reach better sexual maturity at first egg laying than (SSB) and (BB)breeds in the study areas. However, the performance of the three breeds in the study areas was lower than other findings on similar exotic chicken. The attention given to exotic chicken, particularly in supplementary feeding, health care and housing practices was very low in the study areas. Hence, better housing system, improving the health of chicken, practicing supplementary feeding could increase the productivity.

ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCTION PERFORMANCES OF EXOTIC CHICKENS UNDER VILLAGE PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN KEMBATA-TEMBARO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

The current study was carried out between July 2019 and October 2021 in the districts of Doyogena, Hadero- Tunto (HT), and Angecha of kembata-Tembaro (KT) Zone, Southern Ethiopia, with the aim of assessing management practices and production performance of various exotic chickens under village production system. Based on the possibility for distributing exotic chicken, the districts were deliberately selected. A random selection of nine kebeles was made. Data from a household survey were gathered utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire and file monitoring. To evaluate the data quantitatively, descriptive statistics were employed. For the purpose of strengthening data from the household survey, information from focus groups and individual observations was qualitatively evaluated. The study found out that, the chicken house was constricted 60.4% of the respondents share with people, 20.4% separate with animals and 19.2% constricted separate chicken house. The main feed supplements used for chicken were maize and wheat grains (55.6%), industrial by products (15.2%) and kitchen waste (29.2%). The respondents were provided water as free access (32.2%), in the morning and evening (30%) and provided only in the morning (37.8%). About (78.9%) of the respondents did not used vaccine to their chicken against different diseases. The average mean (60.4%) and (70.2%) of the respondents had good market access to buy chicken production inputs and to sell eggs and chicken, respectively. The breed (BB) was superior for number of egg/year (221.47±12.8) than (SSB) breed (202.91±16.15) and (PK)breed (184.29±5.65); whereas (PK)breed was superior for average age at first egg lying (155±0.94) than (SSB) breed (176.92±0.49) and (BB)breed (168.21±2.78). Diseases and feed shortage were major constraints in the study areas. The overall results of the present study reveal that the majority of the respondents were not used separate chicken housing system and the main feed resources used for their chicken was obtained from grains. Disease and feed problems were the first and the second constraint of exotic chicken production in the study areas. The overall finding indicate that the performance of exotic chicken under farmers’ management condition (BB) breed had better egg production performance than (SSB) and (PK) breeds; whereas (PK)breed was reach better sexual maturity at first egg laying than (SSB) and (BB)breeds in the study areas. However, the performance of the three breeds in the study areas was lower than other findings on similar exotic chicken. The attention given to exotic chicken, particularly in supplementary feeding, health care and housing practices was very low in the study areas. Hence, better housing system, improving the health of chicken, practicing supplementary feeding could increase the productivity.

Study on Productive Performances, Constraints, and Opportunities of Improved Chicken under Village Production System in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

The study was conducted to determine productive performances, constraints, and opportunities of Bovans Brown (BB), Sasso, and crossbred chickens under village production system in Gindeberet district of West Shewa, Ethiopia. A total of 139 randomly selected smallholder chicken producers were involved in the study from six purposefully selected peasant associations (PAs) from the district. Information was gathered on average egg production/year, age at the first egg laying, constraints, and opportunities of improved chicken production during the study. The data collected were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 24, and Z-test was employed to test the difference among agro-ecologies on a certain variable. The mean annual eggs produced by BB (189.34 ± 0.99 eggs/hen/year) and by Sasso (180.82 ± 0.9 eggs/hen/year) were higher than those of crossbred chicken (111.26 ± 0.77 eggs/hen/year). Moreover, a significant difference ( p < 0.05 ) was observed for crossbred and exotic chickens' egg production performances between agro-ecological zones. The mean age at the first egg laying (182.28 ± 1.61 days) of crossbred chickens was higher than the mean age at the first egg laying (164.29 ± 0.41 days) of exotic chickens. Also, the mean age at the first egg laying of improved chicken breeds was statistically significant (p < 0.05) between agro-ecological zones. Prevalence of disease, inadequate veterinary services, predators, and shortage of balanced concentrate mixture feeds were among the constraints hindering improved chicken production in the study area. However, high demand of chicken and chicken products, participation of NGOs in dissemination of improved chicken, presence of government policy, and availability of manpower were the major potentials encouraging chicken production in the study area. Therefore, practical poultry production training and extension should get primary emphasis to combat the existing constraints. Therefore, good poultry management practices should be promoted to improve chicken productivity in the study area.

Phenotypic characterization of indigenous chicken breeds under village production system for sustainable development in Ethiopia

Phenotypic characterization of indigenous chicken breeds under village production system for sustainable development in Ethiopia

Strategies to Upgrade Animal Health Delivery in Village Poultry Systems: Perspectives of Stakeholders From Northern Ghana and Central Zones in Tanzania.

Village chicken production holds much potential for the alleviation of malnutrition and poverty in rural communities in Africa. Owing to their subsistence nature, however, such systems are rife with infectious poultry diseases such as Newcastle disease (ND). Strategies common for the management of ND and other poultry diseases in intensive production systems, including vaccination and biosecurity measures, have seen limited success in the village production systems. New approaches are needed that can successfully deliver animal health inputs and services for the effective management of poultry health challenges in low-input systems. Our study utilized focus group discussions with men and women farmers as well as other poultry value chain actors such as input suppliers, live bird traders and processed poultry meat retailers, to investigate potential options for delivery of animal health care to village poultry systems in northern Ghana and central Tanzania. ND was commonly reported as a major disease constraint in the study sites of the two countries, with resulting fatalities particularly impactful on men and women producers and on traders. We therefore also conducted interviews that focused specifically on the gender component of village chicken production. The key health related challenges prioritized by women and men participants included limited access to, and poor quality of, vaccines and veterinary drugs, a shortage of veterinary officers, and insufficient knowledge and training of farmers on flock management practices. Women, more than men, emphasized the difficulties of accessing poultry health services. Our assessments suggest that for poultry health care delivery in the studied communities to be effective, there is need to improve the supply of good quality drugs and vaccines in rural areas, respond to the needs of both men and women, and recognize the different incentives for farmers, traders and other value chain actors. Community-based approaches and increased use of ICT technology such as mobile phones have much to offer in this regard.

Review on Productive and Reproductive Performance of Different Genetic Group of Chicken in Ethiopia

This review paper was conducted with the aim of reviewing productive and reproductive performance of different chicken breeds in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, chicken production plays a role as a prime supplier of eggs and meat in rural and urban area and as a source of income. As indicated current review results, indigenous chicken breeds had low productive and reproductive performance than exotic breeds. The average age at first egg ranges 6-12 months for indigenous chicken. Their egg production potential ranges 30-60 eggs per year per hen with average egg weight of 38g under village management conditions; while under intensive system they produce 80-100 eggs per year per hen. Average hatchability of eggs was 80% for indigenous chickens. On the other hand, performance of exotic differs from indigenous chickens. Average age for first egg was 5 months for exotic chicken breeds under intensive management system in Ethiopia. Exotic breeds of chicken kept under intensive condition produce around 250 eggs /year/hen with average egg weight of 50-60g; while under village production system it may go down up to 150 with average weight of egg 44g. Average hatchability of eggs was around 70% for exotic chickens in Ethiopia. Generally, this review work recommended cross breeding should be used to combine these different performances of exotic and indigenous chickens so as to create crossbreed chickens having resistance to harsh environment of Ethiopia.

Genotype by Environment interactions for egg number and egg weight of five dual-purpose chicken breeds in different zones of Oromia region in Ethiopia

The African Chicken Genetic Gain (ACGG) project (https://africacgg.net/) aims at backyard poultry optimization by commercial dual-purpose breeds introduction into Africa. To measure benefits, genotype by environment interaction (GxE) analysis provides guidance while predicting environmental effects on production traits of breeds. A survey among Ethiopian poultry smallholders showed egg sale being the most important purpose of keeping village chickens in Oromia. Data was available about laying of 894 ACGG chickens in Oromia. Hence current research questions were: 1) Does GxE take place? 2) Which breed performs best regarding laying and in which environment within Oromia? Traits investigated were egg number and egg weight of five breeds (S-RIR, Sasso, Horro, Kuroiler and Koekoek) located in three zones (East Hararge, East and West Shoa) and 5 districts (Adami Tulu, Bako Tibe, Dano, Dugda and Haromaya) in Oromia. Observations were taken as group measure performing weighted analyses. GxE was only present for egg number with magnitude strongest for zone. S-RIR performed best for both traits in both environments, except Kuroiler performing better in East Shoa for egg number and Koekoek for egg weight. This indicates success of crossbreed S-RIR. Sasso and Horro performed worst supported by previous research for Horro but not Sasso. Low precipitation in East Shoa caused bigger distance in egg number predictions, being higher for S-RIR and lower for Horro and Sasso compared to West Shoa. Apart from these final conclusions, social context of breeding and data collection difficulties should not be forgotten. Just like relevance of other performance trait analyses.

Using longitudinal syndromic surveillance to describe small ruminant health in village production systems in Myanmar

A novel syndromic surveillance approach was used to describe small ruminant health in Myanmar, to help overcome limitations in disease diagnosis common in many parts of the world, especially in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Observations were made from July 2015 to June 2016 of ten clinical syndromes in 12 goat herds and sheep flocks owned by smallholders in the Central Dry Zone. Strengths and weaknesses to using syndromic surveillance in a village setting were identified using a formal surveillance evaluation framework, ‘SERVAL’. Larger reporting teams made disproportionately more reports than smaller ones (86% compared to 14% of all reports, with a reporting rate ratio of 4.3 95% CI 3.5–5.4), which may have affected surveillance sensitivity. The benefits of the syndromic surveillance included its relatively low cost and ability to produce quantitative disease estimates that could be used to prioritise further disease investigation and extension activities. In particular, significant mortality was observed, with monthly mortality of 3.0% (95% CI 2.5–3.7%) and 0.28% (0.15–0.53%) in young and adult animals, respectively, and a population attributable fraction of mortality for young animals of 82% (68–91%). Mortality was associated with ill-thrift in young animals but had not previously been considered an important production-limiting condition in Myanmar. This information contributes to an understanding of the prevalence of excessive mortality in smallholder goat and sheep production systems. It is a practical example of the use of syndromic surveillance in a LMIC livestock production system, the results of which can direct future disease research, treatment and prevention to improve the health and productivity of small ruminants in Myanmar.

On farm observations to increase genetic gain in breeding schemes for village poultry production – A simulation study

ABSTRACTTo improve genetic gain of breeding programs for village poultry production, breeding schemes with observations obtained in village production systems using individual (VIO) and group recording (VGO) were examined under different levels of genotype-by-environment-interactions (GxE). GxE was modeled by varying the correlation between traits measured in the breeding station and village environments for bodyweight (rg_BW) and egg production (rg_EP). Relative and absolute genetic gains obtained from VIO and VGO were used for comparison between the schemes. Results showed that village observations significantly improved genetic gains compared to the scheme without birds tested in the village. The improvement was only slightly larger with individual observations than with group observations. Higher rg_BW and rg_EP led to lower relative genetic gain, but a higher absolute gain of VIO and VGO. It is recommended to apply a breeding scheme using group recording of village performance when strong GxE in breeding for village poultry is expected.

English

A quick survey study was conducted with the objectives of assessing farmers trait preference and productive performance of Sasso provided by Ethio-chicken private poultry farms under village production system in three agro ecologies of SNNPR, Ethiopia. Totally, 135 randomly selected respondents (45 from each agro ecologies) were included in the study. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one way ANOVA. According to the respondents most of the farmers were currently rearing more Sasso breeds in all agro ecologies (40.4, 72.7 and 47.7 in highland, midland and lowland respectively) than Bovans brown (17, 6.8 and 20.5% in highland, midland and lowland respectively). Current study exposed that 94.4% of respondents on average in all agro ecologies select Bovans brown for egg production while Sasso breed was selected by respondents (97.7%) for having large body size and producing high amount of meat. The information collected on age at first laying disclosed that the mean ages at first laying were 5.9±1.5, 5.7±1, and 7.1± 1.6 months for Sasso, Bovans brown and local breeds respectively. The result in the current study revealed that the average egg production per month of Bovans brown (22.2) is higher than that of Sasso (16.2) and local chickens (12.6). Most respondents repeatedly mentioned feed shortage as the first ranked chicken production constraint in all districts (25.4%) whereas predators (20.1%) were the second and disease was the third problem in overall agro ecologies though there were significant (p<0.05) differences among agro ecologies. To have a clear understanding of the performance of Sasso breeds of ethio-chicken private farms, on-farm and on-station controlled experiment on management practices and feeding strategy is important. Key words: Sasso, agro ecologies, productive performances, trait preference.

Characterization of the village goat production systems in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and North West Provinces of South Africa.

Expansion of goat improvement programs requires exploration of the factors that influence the production system and breeding initiatives. Characterization of goat breeds or populations is crucial in providing information on prevalent goat types and their attributes and may suffice as a guideline on conservation, development, and selection for improved productivity. This study investigated the existing village goat production system and phenotypic diversity of the different village populations from four South African provinces. The study further investigated the use of phenotypic attributes to classify goats to breeds or populations. Data was collected from 142 households in 26 villages of the Eastern Cape (n = 2 villages), KwaZulu-Natal (n = 6 villages), Limpopo (n = 13 villages), and North West (n = 5 villages) provinces through a survey. Individual interviews and focus group discussions revealed that the mean goat herd size per household was least in Limpopo at 13.2 ± 12.40 and highest in Eastern Cape (34.18 ± 28.36). Flocks had more (p < 0.05) adults than kids, and the distribution of breeding animals was biased towards does and less bucks. Goats were kept mainly for meat, for selling, and for ritual ceremonies. The goat production system was mainly scavenging. Goat health was a major challenge across households and villages. Qualitative traits such coat, horn, ears, and wattle characteristics were recorded for populations of village goats (n = 319) and a feral Tankwa breed (n = 50). The dominant coat pattern was plain (74.53%) with black as the most common coat color (31.98%). Across breeds, a majority (88.08%) of the goats had horns, and 7.59% had wattles while 56.64% had beard. Adult goats (<3years; n = 398) were further analyzed for five quantitative traits of chest girth, height, length, and pin bone and there were significant (p < 0.05) breed differences in all. A stepwise discriminatory procedure was used to rank the quantitative traits according to their discriminatory power to separate breeds or populations. Significant traits were then subjected to canonical discriminant analysis for principle component analysis. Based on the quantitative traits, the Tankwa, Xhosa, and Tswana goats formed their own cluster separated from commercial meat type breeds and the Venda and Zulu ecotypes. The discriminant function analysis correctly classified 90.41% of the Zulu goats and 82.93% of the Xhosa village populations. None of the Savanna goats were correctly classified. The study demonstrated diversity in village goat populations and production systems, which would allow for within population selection in genetic improvement programs. The heterogeneity in the phenotypic traits in the village goats is reflective of the role of village production systems in the maintenance of animal diversity in local populations.

Poultry production systems and its feed resources in Ethiopia: a research review

This study was done with the objective of assessing the current poultry production system, feed resources and provides valuable information for researchers, producers, instructors and policy makers in Ethiopia. The review was done deeply with original research findings of different scholars working on poultry. This study revealed that there are three poultry production systems classified based on the input, flock size, health and bio-security measures (village poultry production, small scale and commercial production systems). The main poultry feed resources in the country are household wastes, cereal grains and their by-products, industrial by products, oil seed cakes and non-conventional feed resources. There is shortage of commercial feed resources and processing meals thought it is expensive. In conclusion, the most common production system practiced in the major farming community is the village production system with irregular supplementation of cereal grains Therefore, investors and government institutions should avail the concentrate feeds with affordable price to improve the production and productivity of poultry in Ethiopia.

English

For sustainable intensification of village production systems, it is important to understand the views of farmers who keep the chickens on the utilization of available protein sources. The objective of the study was to assess farmer perceptions on the use of non-conventional animal protein (NCAP) sources for scavenging chickens. Resource-poor households of Msinga local municipality in uMzinyathi district, KwaZulu-Natal province (n = 239) were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to analyse the data. Females were the prominent heads of households, followed by males, and then youths. Feed shortages were among the major challenges that limited chicken production. Provision of chicken housing and religion highly influenced (P<0.05) a household’s likelihood of experiencing feed shortages. Farmers who did not provide overnight housing to their chickens were likely to not provide any supplementary feeding. Christian farmers were predisposed to chicken feed shortages compared to traditional-religious farmers. More than half of the farmers (56.6%) were aware that NCAP sources have a huge potential to be used as protein sources for chickens. Farmers commonly used termites as a protein supplement. Other common NCAP sources were earthworms and locusts. The potential of using NCAP sources were high on farmers with large village chicken flocks and female-headed households. Key words: Scavenging chickens, resource-poor farmers, termites, earthworms, flock size, non-conventional animal protein (NCAP), scavengeable feed resource base (SFRB).

English

A total of 227 eggs were collected during summer 2013 from Isa Brown (IB), Bovan Brown (BB) and Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK) chickens for comparative study of internal and external egg quality traits under intensive and village production systems in East Shewa, Ethiopia. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS and significant differences in egg quality traits were compared using post hoc multiple comparisons. Average egg weight, Haugh Unit, shell thickness, yolk colour, albumen weight, yolk percent and yolk to albumin ratio of IB showed a significant difference (p<0.05) under intensive and village production systems. BB showed a statistical significant difference (p<0.05) for egg weight, yolk height, albumen height, yolk colour, Haugh Unit, shell thickness, yolk percent and albumen percent under intensive and village production systems. Further, average yolk height, yolk weight, yolk color, yolk percent and yolk to albumen ratio of PK revealed a significant difference under village and intensive production systems. The study revealed that even though the differences were observed in egg quality traits under intensive and extensive system, eggs produced from village were also found to be good quality. Key words: Egg quality traits, exotic chicken, intensive and village production system.

Evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and a haemagglutination inhibition tests for the detection of antibodies to Newcastle disease virus in village chickens using a Bayesian approach

Newcastle disease (ND) is an endemic disease in village chickens in Ethiopia with substantial economic importance. The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (bELISA, Svanova Biotech), indirect ELISA (iELISA, Laboratoire Service International) and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test for ND virus (NDV) antibody detection were evaluated in a Bayesian framework in the absence of a gold standard test, on sera collected from unvaccinated chickens kept under the village production system in household flocks and at markets in two woredas (i.e. districts) of the Eastern Shewa zone, Ethiopia. The outcomes of the iELISA test differed dramatically from those of the two other tests with 92% of the samples testing positive as compared with less than 15% for bELISA and HI. iELISA results were also inconsistent with previous estimations of Newcastle serological prevalence. The information provided by the iELISA test was thus considered as highly unreliable, probably due to an extremely low specificity, and thus not considered in the Bayesian models aiming at estimating serological prevalence and test performance parameters. Bayesian modelling of HI and bELISA test results suggested that bELISA had both the highest Se (86.6%; 95% posterior credible interval (PCI): 61.8%; 98.5%), and the highest Sp (98.3%; 95% PCI: 97.2%; 99.5%), while HI had a Se of 80.2% (95% PCI: 59.1%; 94.3%), and a Sp of 96.1% (95% PCI: 95.1%; 97.4%). Model selection and the range of the posterior distribution of the correlation between bELISA and HI test outcomes for truly seropositive animals (median at 0.461; PCI: −0.055; 0.894) suggested a tendency for bELISA and HI to detect the same truly positive animals and to fail to detect the same truly positive animals. The use of bELISA in screening and surveillance for NDV antibodies is indicated given its high Se and Sp, in addition to its ease of automation to handle large numbers of samples compared to HI. The latter can be used as confirmatory test where an ELISA test with moderate or low specificity is used although the likely positive dependence with bELISA implies that HI and bELISA provide similar information on truly positive animals. Evaluation of commercial ELISAs is indicated before their wider use in village chicken populations to avoid erroneous inferences.

Infection-interactions in Ethiopian village chickens

Chickens raised under village production systems are exposed to a wide variety of pathogens, and current or previous infections may affect their susceptibility to further infections with another parasite, and/or can alter the manifestation of each infection. It is possible that co-infections may be as important as environmental risk factors. However, in cross-sectional studies, where the timing of infection is unknown, apparent associations between infections may be observed due to parasites sharing common risk factors. This study measured antibody titres to 3 viral (Newcastle disease, Marek's disease and infectious bursal disease) and 2 bacterial (Pasteurella multocida and Salmonella) diseases, and the infection prevalence of 3 families of endo- and ecto-parasites (Ascaridida, Eimeria and lice) in 1056 village chickens from two geographically distinct populations in Ethiopia. Samples were collected during 4 cross-sectional surveys, each approximately 6 months apart. Constrained ordination, a technique for analysis of ecological community data, was used to explore this complex dataset and enabled potential relationships to be uncovered and tested despite the different measurements used for the different parasites. It was found that only a small proportion of variation in the data could be explained by the risk factors measured. Very few birds (9/1280) were found to be seropositive to Newcastle disease. Positive relationships were identified between Pasteurella and Salmonella titres; and between Marek's disease and parasitic infections, and these two groups of diseases were correlated with females and males, respectively. This may suggest differences in the way that the immune systems of male and female chickens interact with these parasites. In conclusion, we find that a number of infectious pathogens and their interactions are likely to impact village chicken health and production. Control of these infections is likely to be of importance in future development planning.

Microbial contamination Load of Hatching Eggs in Butaleja, Eastern Uganda

The continued malnutrition and poverty challenges in the poor rural households of Uganda have led to adoption of the policy on modernization of agriculture from subsistence to commercial production as a strategic intervention. As such, the poultry industry has received much attention because of its short generation interval, high rate of productivity, limited land demand, low economic values, minimal cultural/ religious taboos, and manure which complements crop-livestock subsystems. As a result, the sector has evolved with emergence of innovative hatchery technologies. Hatchability and chick quality problems are emerging concerns in hatcheries under village production system. Microbial infection critically influences hatchability and quality of chicks in hatcheries. The objective of this study was to determine microbial contaminations in hatching eggs and predict the effect on hatchability in Butaleja district of Uganda. Experimental and descriptive survey tools were employed. Results reveal that, important microbial contaminants in hatching eggs included Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas aerogenous, Staphylococcus aureus and fungal microbes. Prevalence evaluation of the microbes showed the following; Escherichia coli (19%), fungi (3%), Proteus (2%), Pseudomonas aerogenous (9%) and Staphylococcus aureus (18%) on outer shell surface and Pseudomonas aerogenous (4%) and Staphylococcus aureus (4%) inside the egg. The key risk factors identified were associated with location of the farm, breed type, poor farm hygiene, prolonged egg storage days, lack of laying nests and predominance of free-range system. It is important to implement farmers’ education campaigns to disseminate knowledge and skills on modern poultry production and management practices together with improvement of local breed to adopt the new innovation.

English

The research was conducted in Ada’a district of the Eastern Shoa Zone, Ethiopia. This study was undertaken to investigate the major causes of chicken mortality under village production system and the intervention measures by farmers against the major causes of chicken mortality under village conditions. Data were collected through structured questionnaire from 180 households. Simple random sampling method was used to select the peasant associations and the households. The majority of the respondents put predation (91.9%) and disease (86.4%) as major causes of mortality in chicken older than 7 days. More than half of hatched chicks are lost due to mismanagement (29.4%), predation (67.8%) and other causes were also mentioned by less than 10% of the respondents. Significant proportion of the respondents (48.3%) did not provide modern medicine and those using, utilize mainly broad spectrum medicines without consulting veterinarians. The traditional medicaments included different medicinal plant species. As a conclusion, chicken in the study areas are highly affected by mortality due to predation and diseases. Appropriate management should be taken, therefore, to control the incidence of disease and reduce the loss of chicken kept under village chicken production systems due to predation and mismanagement. Key words: Chicken, disease, loss, mismanagement, predation, village.