CHARACTERIZATION OF SCAVENGING AND INTENSIVE CHICKEN PRODUCTION AND MARKETING SYSTEM IN LUME DISTRICT, EAST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGION STATE, ETHIOPIA

The study aimed at characterizing of scavenging and intensive chicken production and marketing system in Lume district, East Shoa Zone, Oromia Region. Random samplings were employed to select sample kebeles based on chicken population and purposively select respondents. Administration of pretested questionnaire were employed on three kebeles and 90 respondents’ from scavenging chicken keepers, 10 intensive farms keeping exotic chicken and 30 middle men (chicken and egg collectors for marketing system) were interviewed. The kebele respondents’ were categorized in to 1st, 2nd and 3rd strata having 1-10, 11-20 or 21-49 chicken, respectively. In addition 60 local and 60 exotic eggs were collected from markets and on farm production system, for egg quality studies. About 61% of respondents have separate poultry house other than family dwelling while 39% did, not have separate poultry house other than family dwelling. The major aims of keeping chicken is for production purpose (33.3%), to incubate and hatch the eggs (21.1%), for home consumption (18.9%), to welcome guests (15.6%), for income generation (7.8%) and for use during festivities (3.3%) in the study area. All respondents provide supplementary feed and water for their chicken. Disease was one of the constraints with different symptom in the study area. 88.9% of the respondents provide treatment to their chicken whereas 11.1% don’t treat their chicken. The gender distribution of chicken and egg traders shows 56.7% of them are female while the remaining 43.3% were male. Most of the traders (66.7%) sell both chicken and eggs. When the number of chicken in the household is increase ownership pattern of males also increase. About 97.8 % of the respondents used their hens to incubate the eggs and brood the chicks. Total egg production per hen/year without identified breed was 76.4±29. Eighty per cent of intensive farms interviewed started chicken farming by their own motivation. 60% the intensive farms buy the chicken from Debre Zeit also purchase the complete feeds and 40% were import the chicken from foreign country and process the feed at their farm. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in eggshell thickness among the two genotypes and two managements system. Chicken product price was affected by season of the year e.g. bega (dry season), kiremt (rainy season) and holiday. So effort have to be made to advance feeding habit from ‘’dorowet’’ to other. Poultry feed and nutrition is one of the most critical constraints to poultry production under both the scavenging and intensive farms. Strong efforts have to be made to address constraints and improve the productivity of scavenging chicken in sustainable ways. Increasing productivity of chicken in households belonging to each stratum, and focusing on market oriented production with holistic and multidisciplinary extension, research and trainings are important areas of action. Production with holistic and multidisciplinary extension, research and trainings are important areas of action