STUDY ON PERFORMANCE OF RHODE ISLAND RED (RIR) CHICKEN AT BEDELLE POULTRY BREEDING AND MULTIPLICATION CENTER AND UNDER SMALLHOLDER FARMERS CONDITIONS IN WEST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA
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Date
2007-06
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Abstract
This study was carried out from September 2006 to April 2007 in West Shoa Zone of
Oromia Regional State and Bedelle Poultry Breeding and Multiplication Center. The
objectives of the study were to characterize the chicken production system in the study
area, assess the performance of Rhode Island Red chicken on station, assess the on-farm
relative performances of Rhode Island Red, hybrid and local chicken and compare the onstation
and on-farm performance of Rhode Island Red chicken. A total of 120 households
were selected randomly from 6 peasant associations in the study Zone. A questionnaire
survey and follow-up studies were carried out to collect data on socio-economic and
farming system characteristics, poultry production system characteristics and poultry
performance parameters. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics and analyzed
with GLM of SPSS. The results indicated that poultry were kept in the study areas mainly
for egg production based on scavenging feed resources. The average poultry flock size
under smallholders condition was 19.05 heads of chicken and poultry were attended mainly
by women. Rainy seasons were times when poultry health problems were severe and chicks
were the most susceptible group. Poultry production was constrained in the area by disease
and lack of veterinary service, improved breeds and credit schemes. The on-farm
performance of RIR chicken was significantly better than that of locals and hybrids in the
case clutch size, clutch frequency, age at sexual maturity, egg weight and albumin weight.
RIR chickens were inferior to hybrids and locals in the case of chick survival rate and
length of production life, however inferior to local in hatchability. When the on-farm
performance of RIR chicken was compared with their on-station performance, their onstation
performance was better in the case of egg production per year and adult and chicken
mortality. In the case of hatchability, their on-farm performance was better.
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Poultry Breeding, Multiplication Center, Red chicken