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SMALL-SCALE POULTRY PRODUCTION Technical Guide

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SMALL-SCALE POULTRY PRODUCTION Technical Guide *44/ '"0"/*."-130%6$5*0/"/%)&"-5) NBOVBM 4."--4$"-&106-53:130%6$5*0/ UFDIOJDBMHVJEF 1 FAO ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND HEALTH manual SMALL-SCALE POULTRY PRODUCTION technical guide E.B. Sonaiya Department of Animal Science Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria and S.E.J. Swan Village Poultry Consultant Waimana, New Zealand FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2004 Small-scale poultry production iii Contents Chapter 1 ..........................................................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................1 Chapter 2 ..........................................................................................................7 Species and Breeds ...............................................................................7 Chapter 3 ........................................................................................................13 Feed Resources....................................................................................13 Chapter 4 ........................................................................................................23 General Management ..........................................................................23 Chapter 5 ........................................................................................................37 Incubation and Hatching......................................................................37 Chapter 6 ........................................................................................................41 Health .....................................................................................................41 Chapter 7 ........................................................................................................59 Breed Improvement..............................................................................59 Chapter 8 ........................................................................................................65 Production Economics .........................................................................65 Chapter 9 ........................................................................................................69 Marketing ...............................................................................................69 Chapter 10......................................................................................................85 Research and Development for Family Poultry...............................85 Bibliography..................................................................................................109 Foreword iv Foreword Keeping poultry makes a substantial contribution to household food security throughout the developing world. It helps diversify incomes and provides quality food, energy, fertilizer and a renewable asset in over 80 percent of rural households. Small-scale producers are however constrained by poor access to markets, goods and services; they have weak institutions and lack skills, knowledge and appropriate technologies. The result is that both production and productivity remain well below potential and losses and wastage can be high. However, adapted breeds, local feed resources and appropriate vaccines are available, along with proven technologies that can substantially improve productivity and income generation. FAO recognizes the important contribution that poultry can make to poverty alleviation and has programmes that focus on small-scale, low-input, family based poultry production. These programmes target the more vulnerable households especially those affected by natural disasters, HIV Aids and conflict. This manual provides a comprehensive and valuable technical guide for those in government service or aid agencies, wishing to embark on projects that exploit the potential of small-scale poultry production to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor. All aspects of small-scale poultry production are discussed in this book including feeding and nutrition, housing, general husbandry and flock health. Regional differences in production practices are described. FAO acknowledges and commends the effort that the authors have put into making such a comprehensive and valuable reference for those involved in poultry production in the developing world. The views expressed are, however, those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of FAO. Members of the International Network for Family Poultry Development (INFPD) have been involved in producing and reviewing this document and their contribution is also gratefully acknowledged. A major aim of the INFPD is to bring together and disseminate technical information that supports small-scale poultry producers throughout the world. Small-scale poultry production 1 Chapter 1 Introduction The socio-economic Importance of Family Poultry Family poultry is defined as small-scale poultry keeping by households using family labour and, wherever possible, locally available feed resources. The poultry may range freely in the household compound and find much of their own food, getting supplementary amounts from the householder. Participants at a 1989 workshop in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, defined rural poultry as a flock of less than 100 birds, of unimproved or improved breed, raised in either extensive or intensive farming systems. Labour is not salaried, but drawn from the family household (Sonaiya 1990b). Family poultry was additionally clarified as “small flocks managed by individual farm families in order to obtain food security, income and gainful employment for women and children” (Branckaert, as cited in Sonaiya, 1990c). Family poultry is quite distinct from medium to large- scale commercial poultry farming. Family poultry is rarely the sole means of livelihood for the family but is one of a number of integrated and complementary farming activities contributing to the overall well-being of the household. Poultry provide a major income-generating activity from the sale of birds and eggs. Occasional consumption provides a valuable source of protein in the diet. Poultry also play an important socio-cultural role in many societies. Poultry keeping uses family labour, and women (who often own as well as look after the family flock) are major beneficiaries. Women often have an important role in the development of family poultry production as extension workers and in vaccination programmes. For smallholder farmers in developing countries (especially in low income, food-deficient countries [LIFDC]), family poultry represents one of the few opportunities for saving, investment and security against risk. In some of these countries, family poultry accounts for approximately 90 percent of the total poultry production (Branckaert, 1999). In Bangladesh for example, family poultry represents more than 80 percent of the total poultry production, and 90 percent of the 18 million rural households keep poultry. Landless families in Bangladesh form 20 percent of the population (Fattah, 1999, citing the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, 1998) and they keep between five and seven chickens per household. In LIFDC countries, family poultry-produced meat and eggs are estimated to contribute 20 to 30 percent of the total animal protein supply (Alam, 1997, and Branckaert, 1999), taking second place to milk products (38 percent), which are mostly imported. Similarly, in Nigeria, family poultry represents approximately 94 percent of total poultry keeping, and accounts for nearly four percent of the total estimated value of the livestock resources in the country. Family poultry represents 83 percent of the estimated 82 million adult chickens in Nigeria. In Ethiopia, rural poultry accounts for 99 percent of the national total production of poultry meat and eggs (Tadelle et al., 2000). Poultry are the smallest livestock investment a village household can make. Yet the poverty- stricken farmer needs credit assistance even to manage this first investment step on the ladder out of poverty. Poultry keeping is traditionally the role of women in many developing countries. Female-headed households represent 20 to 30 percent of all rural households in Bangladesh (Saleque, 1999), and women are more disadvantaged in terms of options for income generation. In sub-Saharan Africa, 85 percent of all households keep poultry, with women owning 70 percent of the poultry. (Guéye, 1998 and Branckaert, 1999, citing World Poultry 14). Income generation is the primary goal of family poultry keeping. Eggs can provide a regular, albeit small, income while the sale of live birds provides a more flexible source of cash as required. For example, in the Dominican Republic, family poultry contributes 13 percent of the income from animal production (Rauen et al., 1990). The importance of poultry to rural households is illustrated by the example below from the United Republic of Tanzania (see Table 1.1). Assuming an indigenous hen lays 30 eggs per year, of which 50 percent are consumed and the remainder have a hatchability of 80 percent, then each hen will produce 12 chicks per year. 2 Introduction Assuming six survive to maturity (with 50 percent mortality), and assuming that three pullets and three are cockerels, the output from one hen projected over five years would total 120 kg of meat and 195 (6.8 kg) eggs. Table 1.1 Projected output from a single initial hen (United Republic of Tanzania) Time Nº of hatching eggs Nº of cockerels Nº of pullets Nº of cocks Nº
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