Assessment Of Production Performance And Market Chains Of Village Chickens In Meru District

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted in Meru District, Arusha region. Specifically, the study assessed production performance of VCs; identified market chains and market opportunities; analyzed gross market margins and profit margins at different stages in the market chains. Data were collected from 90 farmers, 78 traders and 33 consumers, who were purposively sampled. Production performance of VCs was computed through descriptive statistics and cross tabulations. Results that indicated the mean eggs laid per hen during dry and wet seasons were 17.0 ± 0.5 and 12.9 ± 0.4 respectively. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Survival rates of chicks 8 – 10 weeks of age were 70.9% during dry season and 67.5% during wet season. Adult’s survival rates were 87.4% and 86.1% during wet and dry season respectively. Chick mortalities were due to diseases and predators. Most farmers vaccinated their flocks against Newcastle disease. Market opportunities were identified. Marketing and profit margins were found to vary among different actors along the market chain. The results obtained indicated farmers were adequately rewarded in cocks, hens and eggs but not for growers. Hotels, restaurants/bars obtained higher marketing margins. Consumers were constrained by high price during high price seasons. The study revealed that performance of VCs was good in terms of: average age at first lay (5.7 ± 1.8 months old), hatchability percent, and adult survival rates. However, performances of VCs were poor in terms of: the number of egg laid per hen per clutch, number of clutches per hen per year, and poor performance in chick survival rates. To sustain and improve productivity it is thus recommended that special support should be provided to enable poor rural VCs producers to expand their production. ii