Production Practices, Constraints and Performance in
Traditional Chicken Breeding in Chad
Abstract:
The objective of this work was to characterize the production
of chickens and technical performance of family poultry farms in the Departments
of Hadjer Lamis in the Sahel zone and West Tandjilé in the Sudanian zone.
The crosscutting and retrospective survey covered 16 villages and 233 farmers
randomly selected. The investigated Livestock was made up of 5208 birds. Poultry
farmers are mainly farmers (86.7%), with an average age of 40.7 ± 14.9
years practice poultry farming as a secondary activity. They are mostly men
(71.2%), illiterate (51.5%) and especially married (91.8%). The majority of
men (70.4%) reported being owners of the poultry yards. Dominant types of henhouses
are huts (45.1%) and rudimentary livestock structures (35.5%). Feed distributed
to poultry are mainly cereals (77.7%) served on the ground (60.9%), 2 times
a day by 96.6% of poultry farmers. Drinking water is served in old utensils
(47.2%), broken jars or pottery (39.1%) and wooden containers (13.7%). Medical
prophylaxis is non-existent; farmers make use of traditional care in case of
bird disease. Newcastle disease and predation are the main causes of mortality
in chicken breeding. The size of the poultry yards is 16.8 ± 19.9 chickens
for a hens / rooster sex ratio of about 2.0. The age at first egg is 5.6 ±
1.31 months. The number of broods per annum is 3.57 ± 0.92, with 11.56
± 2.23 eggs / egg-laying. The average hatching rate is about 87% and
chick survival to weaning 74%. Production is mainly destined for sale (87.6%).
With 22.68 ± 11.32 individuals sold per annum at an average price of
2270 FCFA per chicken, earnings are 51.529 CFA/annum per producer. The average
number of chickens consumed is 6.99 ± 7.65 heads per annum. Decisions
to sell chickens are made especially by men (60.5%), but only women have ensured
the sale at the markets. No significant difference was observed between the
two Departments at the socio-economic level and reproductive parameters of the
birds, probably due to the similarity of practices implemented.
How to cite this article
A.Y. Issa, L.Y. Mopate, S.B. Ayssiwede and A. Missohou, 2013. Production Practices, Constraints and Performance in
Traditional Chicken Breeding in Chad. International Journal of Poultry Science, 12: 367-376.
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