The study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary diatomaceous earth (DE) on egg quality traits in deep litter hens. A total of 280 Lohmann Brown pullets were at 20 weeks of age divided into 4 groups. Three groups were fed on one of the three experimental diets supplemented with 2%, 3% or 4% DE, while the fourth group was fed on a control diet without DE supplementation. Each group had seven replicates of 10 birds. One egg was collected randomly per replicate (for a total of 7 eggs per group), weighed and determined for: yolk weight, albumen weight, eggshell weight, eggshell thickness, specific gravity, albumen height, yolk height, yolk colour and Haugh unit. Findings showed that DE supplementation resulted into significant (p<0.05) increase in eggshell weight and yolk height. Dietary supplementation with DE in the current study was, however, not effective on other egg quality parameters such as on eggshell weight percentage, egg specific gravity, yolk colour and Haugh unit. However, results of the study also showed that DE supplementation improved significantly (p<0.05) egg quality especially by improving viscosity as flocks grew older as compared to younger flocks. Further research should focus on the effect of dietary DE on eggshell and bone strength of layer birds. Research should also explore the interactions among the minerals found in DE (e.g. calcium, phosphorus and magnesium) and how these interactions affect egg quality in laying hens.

The poultry industry in Uganda is mainly based on free-range (scavenging) indigenous chickens, kept at the subsistence level. Chicken population rose from 23.5 million in 2005 to 37.4 million in 2008; and most of these chicken (over 80%) were indigenous to the country. A survey was conducted in Central Uganda to assess the available feed resources for chicken. The study involved300 household heads purposively selected. A focus group discussion involving 50 farmers from the same community, was also involved. Issues related to feeds, especially high prices were the main factors contributing to reduced chicken production in the study areas. Less than 5% of the farmers knew the nutritive contents of the chicken feeds. Sixty percent gave alternative feeds depending on season of availability. There was a clear difference between farmers who had some knowledge about feed nutrient composition and those who had no idea. Furthermore, the competition between food and feed furthered the increase in feed prices, thus forcing producers to look for alternative feeds and locally available feeds. The possibility for utilising by-products for poultry feeds need research attention.

The efficacy of diatomaceous earth (DE) on growth rate, egg production and on increasing feed conversion efficiency in deep litter raised layer hens was evaluated. The study was conducted at Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MUZARDI) in Uganda. Worms were collected from fresh intestines of indigenous chicken obtained from Kalerwe chicken market near Kampala. The DE was mined in Pakwach (formerly Nebbi) district in Northern Uganda. Chickens of the Lohmann Brown breed raised on deep litter were studied. At 7 weeks the birds were divided into 5 treatment groups, A, B, C, D and E each composed of 40 birds. Groups C, D and E were given an oral dose containing 250 embryonated eggs of A. galli while groups A and B were not infected. The chicks were weighed; and subjected to feeding trials as arranged below: A – Non-infected birds on DE (4%) supplemented diet; B –non-infected birds on neither piperazine (a conventional de-wormer) nor DE; C – infected birds on DE supplemented diet; D – infected birds on piperazine; and group E – infected birds on neither DE nor piperazine applied. Fecal samples were collected and analysed in the laboratory biweekly at week 16 till week 22 respectively for fecal egg counts. In a subsequent experiment, day-old layer chicks from Lohmann Brown strain but different from those used in earlier experiments, were used to assess the effect of DE on egg production. At 17 weeks of age the 420 were divided as follows: 6 treatment groups each having 7 replicates and each replicate having 10 birds. This study showed that DE can be used successfully in growing pullet diets to correct nutritional mineral imbalance since it supplies more than 14 trace elements and other elements. Diatomaceous earth also enables pullets to cope with Ascaridia galli load; and 2% DE supplementation did not have significant improvement on egg production as compared to no supplementation at all. However, reduction in egg production was experienced when supplementation with levels of DE higher that 2% was applied. Results from biweekly fecal analyses showed significant differences in fecal egg counts (p<0.05); and treatment by group (p<0.05).

A study was conducted to review the effects of pre-incubation and incubation conditions on hatchability and chick quality of Kuroiler chickens. The most important incubation factors that affect hatch time, hatchability and hatch window (temperature, humidity, turning, and ventilation) were reviewed. There was a significant influence (P<0.05) of breeder age on hatchability. Also, there was significance (P<0.05) of breeder age on texture of the egg shell; while there was no significance (P > 0.05) between size of egg and hatch window. The performance of Kurolilers at the end of the rearing period depended, in part, on the quality of day-old chicks at placement. The quality of day-old chicks was highly affected by the incubation conditions, hatch time (which determines the time spent in the hatchery under high temperature and humidity), and handling of chicks after hatch.

Background: Piggery production is a main income source for the rural poor in Uganda, where 1.3 million households own about 4.47 million pigs. Nonetheless, health challenges and lack of knowledge by the farmers affect the productivity and profits of the pig enterprises. Thus, this study determined the knowledge and practices among smallholder pig farmers and the associated risk factors for pig gastrointestinal disorders in Masindi district, Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a closed-end questionnaire interview of 170 smallholder pig farmers in the rural district of Masindi, from April to July 2020. The qualitative data was analyzed and presented as frequencies, percentages, and their 95% confidence intervals. Bivariate and multi-variate analysis were used to determine factors associated with GIT disorders. Results: Of the 170 farmers, males and females were equal (50%), mostly as pig owners (91.2%), rural folks (88.8%), who raised other animal species (72.9%) and with 5-10 years (72.4%) of experience. Of these, 67.6% were married, mainly in age ranges of groups 19-50 (90.6%) and 47.6% had attained primary school level. Pig rearing was for income generation (95.5%) and 79.4% reported GIT on their farms, affecting local breeds (57.0%) of all age groups and throughout the year. Similarly, a majority of the farmers identified common clinical signs associated with GIT, transmission routes and adherence to biosecurity practices. However, 62.9% treated the sick pigs, 40.6% sold the sick pigs and only 25.9% consulted a veterinarian. At multivariable logistic regression analysis, being a female farmer (p = 0.018, OR = 3.163, CI: 1.213, 8.244); mixing of different herds of pigs (p=0.003, aOR =4.141, 95%CI (1.317,13.013); feeding pigs on raw tubers (p=0.017, aOR=2.703, 95% CI (1.198,6.099) and scavenging (p <0.001, aOR= 9.605, 95%CI (2.131,43.289) were significantly associated with GIT. Conclusion: Poor husbandry practices especially feeding on raw tubers, scavenging and mixing of different herds of pigs were associated with widespread pig GIT disorders. Involving women in strategies to improve pig GIT health as equal partners is suggested. Farmers are encouraged to adopt confinement and housing of pigs as the minimum good husbandry practices for sustainable pig production.