Assessment of management practices of Tswana chickens at North East District of Botswana

Abstract

The objective of this study was to document management practices, economic benefits and challenges in indigenous Tswana chicken production in Jackalas No.2, Moroka and Tsamaya villages of North East District of Botswana. Structured questionnaire, oral interviews and field observations were used in collecting data from 50 farmers from the three villages for six successive weeks (i.e., November to December, 2015). All data generated were subjected to descriptive statistics using frequencies, percentages and means. The obtained results showed that 98%of the poultry rearers were females. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of the farmers keep chickens mainly for meat, while two percent (2%) was for egg consumption. Family chicken production was common in the age group of 21 to 50 years. All the farmers in the study area keepTswana chickens on free-range and grains were provided to supplement what they picked from scavenging. Eighty percent of the farmers in Moroka provide enclosure or confinement at night followed by Jackalas No. 2 (70%) and Tsamaya (55%). Diseases and parasites contribute to losses in chicken production and 96% of the rearers used traditional remedies to treat and control diseases with gonde (Aloe sp.) being the most common plant used. In order to increase the benefits of rearing Tswana chickens, the farmers should be trained in general poultry husbandry management and also be encouraged to form associations to assist them in marketing chickens. The obtained results showed that Tswana chickens play an important role in food security at household level of the rural populace.

Management Practices and Feed Supplements on the Growth of Two Chicken Breeds (Gallus Domesticus L.) under Smallholders’ Farm Conditions: Case of Rajshahi

“…The mortality of chicken was observed as major constraint to backyard chicken management at village levels in Ethiopia, where efforts should be geared towards the improvement of health and management practices to improve rural backyard chicken production (Weyuma et al, 2015). Moreki et al (2016) reported that in order to increase the benefits of rearing indigenous (Tswana) chickens, the farmers should be trained in general poultry husbandry management and also be encouraged to form associations to assist them in marketing chickens, because Tswana chickens play an important role in food security at household level of the rural populace in Botswana. In Nigeria, Odemero & Oghenesuvwe (2016) recorded a mortality rate of 12% and indicated that litter replacement frequency, stocking density (0.87), available biosecurity infrastructure and routine cleanliness were significant biosecurity factors.…”

“…In several recent studies, however, biosecurity and other preventive measures (Akpabio et al, 2014), management practices coupled with small feed supplement (Getu & Birhan, 2014), improved chicken and market facilities at village levels (Tsegaye et al, 2014), improvement of health of the rural backyard chicken production (Weyuma et al, 2015), training in poultry husbandry management and facilities for marketing chickens (Moreki et al, 2016) and routine cleanliness and regular workshops on biosecurity management practices organized by the government and relevant agencies (Odemero & Oghenesuvwe, 2016) have been implicated.…”

Farm to Fork: Indigenous Chicken Value Chain Modelling Using System Dynamics Approach

“…Additionally, some processors also have slaughterhouses to slaughter indigenous chickens. Slaughtered chickens are packed and processed to sell to frozen market [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]34].…”

“…Indigenous chicken farming in Nigeria provides indirect and direct employment to almost 20 million people and the total contribution of the poultry industry in Nigeria's GDP is about 10%. Additionally, in the Caribbeans region and Haiti 95% of the rural households rear indigenous chicken to earn livelihood [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

Analysis of the Alabio Ducks Rearing Business with Herbal Medicine Supplementation in Lebak Swamplands of South Kalimantan

“…Farmers have specialized in duck farming businesses such as hatchery businesses (producing ducklings / DOD), rearing businesses (producing pre-laying ducks), fattening male ducks, producing consumption eggs, and hatching eggs. Farmers' livestock businesses have proven to be a source of income, poverty alleviation, food security, and organic fertilizer [1][2][3][4][5].…”