Production performance of indigenous chicken (Gallus domesticus L.) in some selected areas of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Aims: The present study on management practices, productive performance and profitability of indigenous chickens evaluated the existing indigenous rearing practices with the objectives to pave the way for improvement of this variety into sustainable income in favour of the small-scale urban, semi-urban and rural households in the study areas. Study Design: The current status of indigenous chicken householders of the urban, semiurban and rural areas was surveyed. Availability of a large number of chickens and good communications facilitated data collection from the study areas. Place and Duration of Study: The study areas included six Upazillas (Sub-Districts) of Rajshahi, Bangladesh viz., Boalia, Godagari, Motihar, Mohonpur, Poba and Rajpara. Data were collected during the period from July 2010 to June 2011. Methodology: Stratified random sampling techniques were used to collect the experimental data through direct interview schedules. A total of 150 households (6 Upazillas × 5 villages × 5 households per village) were selected where the average flock size was 30 birds, consisting of 12 chicks, 12 growers, 4 hens and 2 cocks. Results: Management practices, production performance, associations between production parameters and profitability of indigenous chicken rearing in Rajshahi, Research Article American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 3(2): 308-323, 2013 309 Bangladesh were evaluated. The farmers raised their chickens in 6ft×4ft×4ft shed made of mud, straw, bamboo, wood and tin and they practiced traditional methods that included the uses of ash and lime to control ecto-parasites and floor disinfections, respectively. They also maintained regular vaccination programmes. The chickens of the study areas died of various diseases including bacillary white diarrhea (BWD, 39.56%), Newcastle disease (38.89%) and fowl cholera (32.29%). Moreover, disturbances from wild animals provided negative impact on rearing that caused appreciable mortality (3.15%) of the chicks. The indigenous poultry farmers opined that they are facing problems in terms of capital shortage, lack of institutional credit facilities, medicine and veterinary services. Weight of day-old chicks (WDC) was highest in Mohonpur and Rajpara and lowest in Boalia; growth rate (GR) was higher in Boalia and Mohonpur but lower in Godagari and Poba. The death rate (DR) was lower in all Upazillas except Boalia. The fertility rate (FR) and hatchability (HT) were higher in Boalia and Mohonpur and lowest in Poba. The higher first laying age (FLA) was found in Godagari and Mohonpur, whereas the average egg production (AEP) was found higher in Mohonpur, Poba and Rajpara but lowest in Boalia. The average chicken raised (ACR) was higher in Motihar and Poba while lower in Godagari and Mohonpur. The average marketable size (AMS) was highest in Boalia and lowest in Motihar. Most of the production parameters showed positive and significant correlations. With regards to rearing indigenous chickens, profitability calculated as cost-benefit ratio (CBR) was estimated to be 1.24 and 1.19 per family and per bird, respectively. Conclusion: The study revealed some vital information on management practices and productivity of indigenous chickens where profits for rearing indigenous chickens per family and per bird were BDT 0.24 and BDT 0.19, respectively. The raising of indigenous chickens in urban, semi-urban and rural areas of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, therefore appeared to be an efficiently feasible enterprise which requires better understanding of the socio-economic aspects of the small-scale poultry farmers.