Demonstration and Evaluation of Improved Chickens under Farmers’ Management Conditions at Godoro Sub-Watershed, Gerese District

Year : 2025 | Volume : 14 | Issue : 03 | Page : 61 69
    By

    Mekete Manjura Suntebo,

  • Ayano Abera Gage,

  1. Poultry Associate Researcher, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Livestock Research Directorate, Arba Minch, South Ethiopia
  2. Poultry Associate Researcher, Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Livestock Research Directorate, Arba Minch, South Ethiopia

Abstract

The study commenced with the objective of demonstration and evaluation of an improved chicken breed’s performance under farmers’ management conditions in Bula Kebele, Gerese district of Gamo zone. A total of 21 participant households were selected purposely based on their experience and willingness to construct a chicken house, covering chicken-rearing costs, and recording the required data. Training on chicken husbandry, healthcare, feeds and feeding systems was provided for the participants, livestock experts, and development agents before commencement of the experiment. A total of 210 pullets were distributed to selected participants in the study area at their gate, each receiving 10 Sasso and the remaining receiving 10 Bovans brown pullets. The experiment was undertaken over a 52-week period and all data were spread out on Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 software was used to analyze data. The overall average survivability rates of the chicken until 52 weeks of age were 68.1±11.02% and 78.39±8.36% for Bovans brown and Sasso, respectively. The mortality could be due to the onset of the seasonal effect, differences in management and feeding conditions. The average body weights at the onset of egg laying were found to be 1.37 kg and 1.81 kg for Bovans brown and Sasso, respectively. The age at first egg lay was 22.74 and 24.21weeks for Bovans brown and Sasso chicken breeds, respectively. The overall average egg weight for the Bovans brown chicken breed at peak production was 57.4g, while 56.6g was the average egg weight for the Sasso chicken breed at the same egg production stages. The change in net income generated per individual farmer was 10789 birr. It can be concluded that the promotion of improved chicken breeds in all aspects of production and productivity was feasible to enhance family nutrition and income generating in rural areas. Thus, it could be recommended that a step forward should be made for the access of these improved breeds through scaling up and providing appropriate veterinary services and supplemental diets.

Keywords: Bovans brown, demonstration, evaluation, perception, sasso, survival rates

[This article belongs to Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology ]

How to cite this article:
Mekete Manjura Suntebo, Ayano Abera Gage. Demonstration and Evaluation of Improved Chickens under Farmers’ Management Conditions at Godoro Sub-Watershed, Gerese District. Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2025; 14(03):61-69.
How to cite this URL:
Mekete Manjura Suntebo, Ayano Abera Gage. Demonstration and Evaluation of Improved Chickens under Farmers’ Management Conditions at Godoro Sub-Watershed, Gerese District. Research & Reviews : Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2025; 14(03):61-69. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjoast/article=2025/view=234699


References

1. Alemu Yami and Tadelle Dessei. 1997. The status of poultry research and development in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research 1: 62. Link: https://tinyurl.com/y62r46s8.
2. Bekele, Bangu. 2018. Demonstration and Evaluation of Small-Scale Family Poultry (Bovans Brown Layers) at Wondogenet Woreda, Sidama Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia. J Fisheries Livest Prod 6: 284. Doi: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000284.
3. Birhan Kassa, Yosef Tadesse, Wondmeneh Esatu, Tadelle Dessie, Mesfin Lakew and Assemu Tesfa. 2021. On-farm performance evaluation of tropically adapted chicken strains under a semi-scavenging production system in the western Amhara region, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Applied Science and Technology. 12(1): 32–42.
4. Elias Gonta and Mekete Girma. 2024. Adaptation and Performance Evaluation of Layer (Bovan Brown) Chicken Breed in Peri-Urban Areas of Agro-Pastoralist, South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Microbes and Research. 3(1); DOI: 10.58489/2836-2187/019.
5. Etalem T., Emebet M., Tadios H., Wondmeneh E., Akliku N., Alemayehu A., and Tekalign Y. 2016. Livestock and Fisheries Research Strategies, 2030, Poultry, Fisheries, Apiculture and Sericulture.
6. Fadhili S. Guni, Said H. Mbaga, and Andalwisye M. Katule. 2021. Performance Evaluation of Kuroiler and Sasso Chicken Breeds Reared under On-farm and On-station Management Conditions in Tanzania. European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences. 3(2):53–59. www.ejfood.org. DOI: 10.24018/ejfood.2021.3.2.254.
7. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). 2019. Poultry Sector, Ethiopia. FAO Animal Production and Health Livestock Country Reviews. No. 11. Rome.
8. Gueye EF. 2005. Poverty alleviation, food security and the well-being of the human population through family poultry in low-income food-deficit countries. Senegalese Institute of Agricultural Research (ISRA), B.P.2057, Dakar-hann, Senegal.
9. Nigussie D, Van der Waaij LH, Dessie T, Van Arendonk JAM. 2010. Production objectives and trait preferences of village poultry producers of Ethiopia: implications for designing breeding schemes utilizing indigenous chicken genetic resources. Trop Anim Health Prod 42: 1519-529. Link: https://tinyurl.com/yyqh6l64.
10. Singh M, Mollier RT, Paton RN, Pongener N, Yadav R, Singh V, Katiyar R, Kumar R, Sonia C, Bhatt M, Babu S, Rajkhowa DJ and Mishra VK. 2022. Backyard poultry farming with improved germplasm: Sustainable food production and nutritional security in fragile ecosystems. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 6:962268. Doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.962268.
11. Sonaiya EB. 2003. Village poultry and its role in rural Africa. Paper presented at the 1st National Workshop on Indigenous Poultry Development, Nature and Development Group of Africa (NGO Registration No. 026–851-NPO) 16–30.
12. Wong, J.T., de Bruyn, J., Bagnol, B., Grieve, H., Li, M., Pym, R. and Alders, R. G. 2017. Small-scale poultry and food security in resource-poor settings: A review. Global Food Security. 15, 43–52. Doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2017.04.003.


Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Issue 03
Received 28/06/2025
Accepted 04/11/2025
Published 24/12/2025
Publication Time 179 Days


Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics