MONOGASTRIC PRODUCTION SYSTEMS (ANIM7019)

ASSIGNMENT

COURSE: MONOGASTRIC PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

COURSE CODE: ANIM7019

Faculty: FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCHES, AGRICULTURE AND

VETERINARY SCIENCE (NRAVS)

SEMESTER II 2006

ASSIGNMENT III

TITLE: POULTRY PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE TROPICS

Course Coordinator: Dr. R. Pym

SCHOOL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
SANTA LUCIA CAMPUS

Student Name: MATIAS DA SILVA TAVARES

Student Number: 40839774

Master of Animal Studies

University of Queensland – Australia
3th November 2006
 SUMMARY

Poultry production in most developing countries in the tropics is based mainly on scavenging
systems. The use of this management system has resulted in high mortality rate and low
productivity. While village chicken production systems in the tropical regions facing these
serious problem in fact they play a very important role in the livelihood of rural communities.
The function of village chicken including: providing income, providing protein diet; eggs and
meat to the local family, being valued in a cultural live, as a gift to the relatives or visitors
and in some parts of these region village chicken is used for sacrificing and fighting. It is
believed that the productivity of village chicken can improve by practicing a good
management system and there is a necessary to replace free range management system with
semi and or intensive small scale management systems. It should be admitted that in reality
to solve the problems associated with village chicken production systems in he tropical
countries is not that easy. The problem is complex involving both technical aspect as well as
institutional aspect therefore this problem can only be resolved if all aspects that involved in
village chicken production cycle are improved.
INTRODUCTION

Poultry production in most developing countries in the tropics is based mainly on scavenging

systems, and it has been estimated that more than 80 % of the total poultry population is kept

in traditional family-based production systems (Gueye, 2005). There are many different

breeds of village chickens. According to (Nataamijaya, 2000) in Indonesia it self here there

are about 31 breeds or distinct groups of local chicken. In tropical countries village poultry in

fact play very important roles for the communities. They can be used to support family

income, to support local economy, provide village family with protein diet; eggs and meat

and serve other purposes within the communities. Furthermore, most of local communities

for instance in East Timor and Indonesia village chicken meat and eggs are more expensive

compare to broiler and commercial chicken egg. There is an argument in a local communities

that local chickens has specific texture and taste, contain lower fat therefore they are

preferred compare to the broiler. In term of marketing aspect the indication above shows

local chicken can be easily delivered to the local consumers. Although, local chicken play a

very significant roles in almost all tropical areas and most importantly for rural communities.

However, it is constrained by many factors including: high mortality rate especially chicks

age between 0-6 weeks and low productivity besides these the condition become even worse

because of the used of traditional management systems but it is believed that with better

management productivity can be improved. The objective of this paper is to provide a

discussion on village chicken production systems in the tropic which focuses on management

system that is currently used, outlined the main constraints as well as attempting to provide

solution to improve the productivity of local chickens in the rural tropical regions.

.
THE IMPORTANCE OF VILLAGE CHICKEN

The keeping of village poultry by local communities in most tropical regions has been

practiced for many years. There are many reasons for keeping village chicken in the rural

communities such as: to support family income, to provide family with protein diet (eggs and

meat). In addition to the cultural activities village chicken can be used as clock for the

villagers, gifts to the relatives and or visitors to show their friendship and to give thanks for

the assistance that is received. Furthermore, in East Timor chicken cocks are used for

fighting, and there are some families that still using a red cock to sacrifice to the ancestors to

wish rain, better health and good harvest. Besides that, eggs are widely used to cure disease

for instance; “jamu” which is very popular in Indonesia especially in Java. According to

Minh (2005) scavenging chickens also serve as an efficient waste disposal system,

converting leftover grains and human foods and insects into valuable protein foods, such as

eggs and meat. They are also useful for insect and weed control and supplying organic

fertilizer for crops.

MANAGEMENT PRODUCTION SYSTEM

According to (Brackaert and Gueye, 2000; Soaiya et al., 1999) typically four poultry

management systems can be distinguished namely the free-range system or traditional village

system, the back yard or subsistence system, the semi intensive system and the small scale

intensive system. However, free range and back yard management system are the most

popular managements used compare to the intensive and semi intensive. The free range

management system is characterized by scavenging, no regular water or feed, poor night

shelter and no vaccination program. In contrast, small scale intensive system work under

improvements in overall husbandry conditions such as: balanced diets, vaccination against

Newcastle disease, providing regular water and proper shelter. Moreover, the comparison
between these management systems on village chicken performance is shown in Table 1.

below.

Table 1. Performance of village chicken kept under extensive, semi intensive and intensive
production systems

Traits Extensive Semi Intensive Intensive

Eggs laid/hen/year 47 59 146
Egg production (%) 13 29 40
Laid frequency (time/year) 3 6 7
Hatchability of eggs (%) 74 79 84
Egg weight (g) 39-48 39-48 39-43
Daily feed consumption (g) <60 60-68 80-100
Feed conversion >10 8-10 4,9-6,4
Mortality < 6 weeks (%) 50-60 34-42 -
Source: Dwyanto et al., (1996)

From the Table 1 above clearly shows the performance of village chicken under village

conditions (extensive management system) the productivity of village chicken seems to be

very low compare to the semi intensive and the extensive management systems. It is argued

that poor of health control and management systems are responsible for the high mortality,

more than fifty percent. For instance, no vaccination provided and chick reared without

protection during the day night. Moreover, poor nutrition as well as less time spending for

hands to produce eggs is accountable for low egg production. Mansjoer (1989) reported that

village chicken can lay between 45 and 56 eggs per year within the extensive system. This

number is extremely low when its compare to commercial eggs production chicken which

can produce up to 300 eggs annually. In general, under natural condition, the village chicken

brood for between 21-23 days. Chicks remain with their mothers for a period of 2-3 months,

after which period the hen will start the next egg laying period. As can be seen from Table 1

above village chicken performs well in intensive systems where the average number of eggs

laid is three times more than in the extensive. Generally, the productivity of village chicken

in semi intensive and intensive systems is better than in extensive system. Base on the

information above it is believed that improvement in management practices in the form of

better rearing methods and nutritional values of feeds can increase the productivity of the

village chicken. However, the reality shows that it is not easy to encourage farmers to

substitute traditional village systems with the intensive and or semi intensive management

systems. In a specific case of East Timor condition, I would argue that this condition occurs

because village chickens are reared under zero input management.

PROBLEMS RELATED TO VILLAGE CHICKEN PRODUCTION

There are many factors such as: genetics, nutrition, environment, management and diseases

which are believed affect the efficiency of village chicken whether directly and or indirectly.

According to Wilson et al., (1987) the most striking problem in relation to village poultry

production is the high mortality. Further they mentioned that mortality rates may be as high

as 80-90% within the first year after hatching. In a free range management system it is

argued that New castle disease and predators are believed to be responsible for the high

mortality rate. In addition, insufficient nutrient supply and the genetic factor are the main

factors that responsible to the low productivity of village chicken. It is argued that nutrient

content both protein and energy from scavenging feed resources is inadequate to support the

maximum production of village chicken. Therefore, it is necessary to provide feed

supplements for village chicken if better productivity to be achieved. Overall, the use of

traditional management system is not favour village chicken productivity. However,

technical aspect is not the only factor that accountable for the problems in village production

system. Nevertheless, involving of organizational aspect, marketing sector and the culture of

local community seems to promote the problems of village chicken production in the tropical

region become more complex which makes it more difficult to resolve. (Fattah, 1999)

reports in village production only small loans are needed, but they are mostly impossible for

the producers to get. In terms of marketing aspect, fortunately there is no significant obstacle
to market village chicken because most local consumers are favoured village chicken product

compare to the broiler and commercial eggs poultry product. Local cconsumers generally

argue that products from indigenous poultry are tastier and healthier because synthetic drugs,

such as antibiotics, are rarely used. However, it should admit that infrastructure such as

transportation and communication facilities which linking rural and urban areas seen as

constraints to support the marketing process.

The village poultry production and the problems related are presented in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1. The village chicken production

Source: (Permin and Pedersen, 2000 cited in Rhase and Kryger, 2005).

From the Figure 1 above it can explain that the problem of village chicken production system

in the tropics is complex and it is indicated that the problems can not be solved except all

aspects that involved are fixed. I think this is the main reason behind the failure of many aid

projects on village chicken production throughout the tropical regions; because projects

conducted mainly just focus on technical aspect instead of work throughout all aspects

involving as presented in figure above.

INTERVENTIONS

From the information as presented above, intervention is needed to improve village chicken

productivity in rural communities in the tropics. From production/ or technical point of view

I would suggest that there is a necessary to replace extensive management system with semi

and or intensive management system. Theoretically it is realized that the changes of

management systems from one to another is not a big problem as long as the benefits or

profit is greater. However, the real condition in the field is completely different. People will

accept a new thing until the benefit is achieved, therefore, to encourage village chicken

keepers to adopt semi and or intensive management systems in raising their flock it is

necessary to established a small project of semi intensive village chicken production systems

in each village. Therefore, villagers can see the changes and make comparison between these

systems for example: mortality rate, eggs production, number of chick survival.

Another aspect that should be intervened is organizational matter; in this case the

involvement of governments‟ institution is crucial. For instance, providing assistance

(extensions services, training, capital when it‟s required to start a new firm and vaccines)

CONCLUSION

From the discussion above it is concluded that there is a possibilities to enhance village

chicken productivity by replacing traditional management system with semi and or intensive

management systems. However, it is realized that the problem of village chicken production

systems in the tropic is complex therefore, in solving this problem out the focus should not

be paid only to the technical aspect but it should be look at all aspects that involved in this

production cycle as a whole.

 References

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production. In: Dolberg, F. and Petersen, P.H. (eds.). Proceedings of a Workshop
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