Egg Production Performance and Consumption in Households Engaged in Rearing Bovans Brown Chicken in three Altitude Ranges of Simada and Ebinat Districts, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Evaluation of egg production performance and consumption were conducted in 30 days of June (from June 1 to 30) 2016 in the households of Simada and Ebinat Districts, Northwest Ethiopia. Longitudinal study on egg production performance and consumption was implemented. Bovans Brown chicken donated by Nutrition at the Center (N@C) which is a multi-sectoral and innovative program designed to improve the nutritional status of women of reproductive age (15-49) and children less than 2 years. The Bovans Brown layer chickens were purchased from Ethio-chicken Private Limited Company, Mekelle. As soon as arriving at the age of day old, the chicken were grown in the Satellite chicken brooding center at Deber Tabor town to acclimatize into local environmental conditions until the age of 3 months. The chickens were distributed for a total of 1000 farmers in Ebinat and Simada districts (500 for each). Farmers received five pullets and managed the pullets in semi-intensive chicken production system with provision of simple houses made up of local materials, supplemental feeds formulated from locally available grains and disease control and health programs through supervision of agricultural extension service experts in the study areas. For evaluation of the program 100 farmers engaged in rearing laying chickens (30 from each district) farmers were selected randomly. The records were monitored weekly by agriculture extension service experts. The overall mean family size included in this study from both districts was 4.92± 1.37. Higher family size (4.94±1.43) was found in low than medium (4.91±1.38) and high (4.91±1.35) altitude areas. However, there was no any statistically significant difference (p>0.05) mean number family size among the three altitude areas. The mean number of laying hens in medium altitude areas (4.29±0.52) was higher than low (3.76±1.07 and high (4.28±0.63) altitude areas. There was statistically significant difference (p