Evaluation and Demonstration of Hubbard JV Broiler Breed at Axum and Axum Zeria, Tigray Region, Northen Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was implemented at Axum and its surrounding to evaluate the performance and demonstrate the breed at small holder management level in 2012. From the total of 7 participants included in the study 3 were women. Total of 756 day old Hubbard JV broiler chicks were brought from Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center and according to the house size 100-135 chicks were supplied per participate. Participant farmers were trained on poultry house and housing, health, feeding and data recording. The houses were disinfected, bedded with Tef straw and a 250 watt infrared bulb was used to heat the birds. Proper drinking and feeding materials were used to feed the chicks at adlib basis. Vaccines were given against Newcastle and gumbro diseases. Records like daily feed intake, weekly body weight gain and mortality was taken throughout the experiments. At the end carcass characteristics was measured. Mean daily feed intake (g) and weekly weight gain (g) per bird were 79.69±4.54 and 283.51±18.18 respectively. The mean final weight was 1776.67g±109.07 at 45 days consuming 3586.05 grams of feed per bird. Average mortality of birds was 6.6% and farmers profited 26.78 birr per bird. The breed adapted well to the area as well as to the small holder production system, besides farmers showed greater interest on the breed. Eventually we strongly recommend that due attention must be given for the sustainable supply of the breed.

Keywords: Body weight gain, Day old chicks, Feed intake, Mortality, Smallholder