LOCAL CHICKEN PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA: UNTAPPED POULTRY BUSINESS SECTOR IN AFRICA

Nigerian heavy ecotype breed

Unlike broilers and layers production business which many people are already into and the market is over filled making it difficult for newbies to survive, local or indigenous chicken (Okuko'Igbo)production is yet to be untapped as most or intending farmers are unaware of the high demand of these birds in the Nigerian poultry market.
The local chickens in Nigeria are commonly called the Nigerian Indigenous Chicken (NIC), and they are all classified into three breeds based on location. They are the Fulani Ecotypes, the Igbo/Ibo Ecotypes and Forest savannah (Yoruba) Ecotypes.
It can be reared with little capital and with little or no assistance and anyone (young or old, educated or uneducated) can manage the production.

Fulani Ecotype

Frizzled chicken

Consumers of indigenous chicken breeds
• Any class (Elites,middle class,average class etc)
• Any religion (traditional, Christians, Muslims etc)
From the above, it simply means that consumption of Okuko'Igbo has no restrictions thus making the demand high.

Local chicken breeds in Nigeria includes;
1. Fulani breed(heavy ecotype)
2. Igbo breed (medium ecotype)
3. Yoruba breed (light ecotype)

Igbo Ecotype (Ichacha)

Yoruba Ecotype

Suitable Production System for the Nigerian Indigenous chicken (Okuko'Igbo)
• Extensive system
Nigerian Indigenous chicken breeds can survive on extensive system of production fending for themselves picking seeds,ants,lizards,leftovers etc with totally no assistance from the farmers or owners.

• Semi-Intensive system
These birds can be reared with little assistant from the farmer. The farmer provides the coop where the birds after roaming about during the day can go in at night fall as well as supplementing their diets with compounded feeds once in a while.

• Intensive system
The indigenous chicken breeds can as well adapt to captivity production system where all their needs (shelter,feeding, medications etc) are provided.

Watch maize shelling made easy

Things to Note in Okuko'Igbo production
• How u feed determines the amount of egg it will lay and how it lays
•The production system u adapt determines how many chicks u can get in a year from a hen
• How u feed them determines how you improve them as it regards fast growth and weight gain
• In local chicken production, the hen,when fed well goes back to laying after 2 weeks. Thus people that cannot brood the chicks do allow the hen to brood the chicks for 2weeks then will collect the chicks from hen so that the hen can go back to laying after 2 weeks
• To boost the production of local fowls be it any breed or for any purpose ( meat or egg) the energy requirements can be boosted by feeding them cereals at least once a day.
• Muiltivitamins and minerals which body needs for some metabolic activities both catabolic and anabolic can be given to the birds at interval.
• Use commercial compounded grower feeds for them.
• If this aspect of poultry farming can be carried out intensively, their egg number will definitely increase as they will not be allowed to seat on their eggs and prevent brooding their chicks
•One of the challenges local fowl keepers are having is loosing of the chicks to carnivores(kites,snakes, cats,dogs etc),sometimes, man.
Thus it is necessary to build a pen to avoid such losses.

Difference between Okuko'Igbo and improved breeds (broilers/layers)
√ Local fowl do not lay like commercial fowl because of the genetics and nutritional standards
√ Commercial fowl can lay one egg everyday for more than a year and sometimes the xteristics of incubating the egg is not there. Local fowl can lay at least 100 to 120 eggs a year if kept and managed like improved breeds of fowl.
√ The locals spike day as it lays when it reaches it clutch of about 10 eggs it will go for a break for about 3 to 5 days
When commercial has fowl reached its clutch it goes for break for about 2 to 3 days and it clutch is about 15 to 20 eggs.

It is very important that youths in both rural and urban areas with a space should venture into this aspect of poultry farming as there's already a steady market for the product.

Read:
Igbo breed of chicken (Ichacha/Avuke)
Nigerian Indigenous chicken breeds (Okuko'Igbo)

Acknowledgements:
We acknowledge the unalloyed contributions of the following.
Dr. Jude Okafor (Sunseed Nigeria Ltd)
Mrs. Linda O. (Zulinkx group)
Udeh V.C. (UNN)
David Ukweze (GAS)

Follow us by clicking on the 3 parallel lines at the top right corner of this page on your device

Comments

Some Management Practices in Fish Farming

Catfish materials Fishing gear Fish supplement Fish feed Fish drugs Tilapia In Fish Production, management practices such as supplementary feeding or fertilisation of water are generally considered to improve fish yield in ponds or shallow lakes. Our consultant and MD ( Emmanuel Ozuluonye Ugwu ) feeding the catfish in concrete pond There certain techniques and equipments to ensure healthy aquatic environment for catfish production. One of which is; The use of Sharivit Fishbooster regularly to keep both the fish and their environment healthy as well as promote the fish growth. Sharivit Fishbooster In Fish farming, Waste Water Management must be taken seriously in order not to create enemity around the neighborhood as well as not attract government sanctions. There should be a proper drainage system from the pond outlet into a river where it'll not be harmful. You can always contact us on; 08134750806 For enquiries.

ADVANTAGES OF CAMBOROUGH PIG BREED OVER OTHER BREEDS

We supply all your needs, reach us for age specifications Recommended article; Best egg booster every poultry farmer needs Our expectant mothers Camborough boar King boar (Watch: Our fast growing weaners ) Camborough pigs are a product of a cross-breeding system known as criss-crossing- an alternated use of boars of two or more breeds on the female stock produced in a herd. This distributes good characteristics from many different breed lines involved and these are related to meat fat distribution (carcass quality), disease resistance, larger litter size and others. The animal is usually white in colour but, in rare cases, may show characteristics of particular breeds involved in the criss-crossing. (Mating going on in our farm: https://youtu.be/GkKGu0L6aQE ) The Camborough is bred to maximize the kilograms of weaned pigs per year with excellent feed efficiency. In addition, the Camborough can be bred typically three weeks earlier than other genetics, resul...

THE NIGERIAN INDIGENOUS CHICKEN BREEDS: FACTS ABOUT NIGERIAN CHICKEN BREEDS

Trying or attempting to know or identify the local breeds of chicken in Nigeria can be tedious as most are not documented but with our series of research and consultations, we are able to bring to you, in this post, some facts about the indigenous or local chicken breeds in Nigeria. Nigerian Indigenous Chicken Terms to Note in this post Indigenous breeds They are native chickens of a country that are bred and reared in the same country. Exotic or foreign breeds They are chicken breeds from other countries. Hybrid breeds They are the offspring or product of crossingor mating local breeds with a foreign breed or mating two different breeds (either local or exotic breeds) together. The Local chickens in Nigeria are commonly called the Nigerian Indigenous Chicken (NIC), and they are all classified into three breeds based on location. They are: 1. The Fulani Ecotypes The Fulani Ecotypes, referred to as heavy ecotypes, are found in the following parts of Nig...

ICHACHA/AVUKE BREED OF CHICKEN IN NIGERIA

Nigeria is a country in Africa and well known for her rich cultural and traditional heritage and most of the animals we keep or eat are among this heritage. In this post, Ozuluonye Emmanuel, puts a great write up about Avuke okuko Ichacha cock Ichacha or Avuke is an undocumented popular breed of indigenous chicken in Nigeria particularly among the Igbos in the southeastern part of the country. Among all local chicken breeds, it commands a higher price than every other breeds chiefly because in the Igbo traditional religion, it's mostly used to offer sacrifices to the deities. Local chicken markets in Igbo land are always in a short supply of this special breed of indigenous chicken. Ichacha hen brooding her chicks Characteristics of Ichacha • They have very short and limited feather at the wing and tail region . • It has less feathers covering the entire body. • Its color can be black, brown, red, white or a mixture of colours or black and whit...

CATFISH DISEASES AND TREATMENT

Apply for ZULINKX livestock farmers financial empowerment Grayish film on the skin Cotton wool disease ( Columnaris): Grayish-white film on skin, damaged fins, ulcers, yellow to gray patches on gills, tissues on head may be eaten away. Must be treated immediately with Over-the-counter antibiotic medications. It is a very contagious disease. Disinfect tank, rocks, net, etc. Anaemia disease : Affected fishes has Swelling of head with small bodies, bulging eyes, black in colour. This is attributable to overcrowding. Treat with OTC antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracycline,a void over-crowding, feed adequately. Over crowded fish in the pond Cracked head diseasae : This is the most common catfish disease in ponds. The cause of this disease is not yet understood, although it is believed that adverse water quality resulting from over feeding may be the main factor as well as unbalanced nutrients in ...

Zulinkx Agro & Vet Services

Search This Blog