PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SCAVENGING LOCAL CHICKEN UNDER INTENSIVE AND EXTENSIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEM: THE CASE OF ENBSIE SAR MIDDIR DISTRICT EAST GOJJAM, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Enebse Sar Middir district with the objective of performance evaluation of scavenging local chicken under intensive and extensive production system. To evaluate the performance of local chicken at intensive system Mertule Mariam ATVET College was used and 30 pullets were housed in three panes. And to evaluate the performance of local chicken at extensive system three agro ecologies were selected and in each agro ecology three kebeles were selected and per kebele one farmer was selected and provided with 10 local pullets for each selected farmer. Evaluation of egg quality parameters were conducted in Mertule Mariam ATVET College, once per two weeks. The experiment was conducted by purchasing formulated concentrate feed from Addis Ababa and feeding time of the experimental chicken at both production systems was twice per day. The agricultural practice of selected farmers was mainly dominated with crop-livestock production system. The average supplemented feed intake of local chicken at highland production system was 1095g per day per clutch which is significantly (p<0.05) higher than lowland. The overall average mean of egg production for local chicken was 52.34 per bird per year. There was statistically significant (p<0.05) difference between egg collected from intensive with highland, due to the improvement of concentrate feed intake. There was statistically no significant (p>0.05) difference between egg collected from intensive with lowland. Blood and meat spot of the sampled egg had no significant (p>0.05) difference between at intensive, highland, midland and lowland production system in the study district. The overall average mean of egg weight for local chicken was 36.33g. Average mean of egg weight for intensive, highland, midland and lowland was 37.3g, 36.76g, 35.65g and 36.20g respectively. In general there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between highland, midland and lowland eggs collected from the farmers in all egg quality parameters except yolk height, yolk width, and yolk color and haugh unit. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between highland and midland of yolk color but at highland and midland were significant (p<0.05) difference with intensive and lowland production system. For scavenging local chicken offering and supplementing concentrate feed is not profitable because the feed cost is extremely high, so it is better to feed and supplement by formulating or mixing locally available feed ingredients.