SEMI-SCAVENGING MODEL FOR RURAL POULTRY HOLDING
	Hans Askov Jensen
	Poultry Development Strindbergsvej 104 2500 Valby, Denmark

The Semi-Scavenging Model for rural poultry holdings, developed in Bangladesh, has proven to be a viable system. To improve the technical side of the model a number of adaptive research projects are under implementation such as field testing of different breed combinations, feeding methods and scavenging conditions in specific areas. Preliminary results of these research projects clearly indicate a potential for technical improvements of the model and that the type of HYV breeds is of less importance at smallholder level. Furthermore it gives reasons to believe that the model is or can be competitive to intensive poultry production.

INTRODUCTION

The terminology Semi-Scavenging is used for small poultry flocks under partly controlled management and where the scavenged feed accounts for a substantial part of the total feed consumed. A Semi-Scavenging Poultry Model is an integrated system to provide supplies and services to establish and to maintain a semi-scavenging poultry sector.

Scavenging poultry accounts for by far the largest number of livestock in the developing countries. Scavenging hens are, however, more or less neglected as an income generating activity by institutions, as well as by the poultry holders themselves. Previously, the main activities to improve scavenging poultry holdings have been introduction of cockerel exchange programs and vaccination campaigns. However, the effect has been rather limited because it has not been followed by other management activities.

In Bangladesh there has, during the past decade, been developed a successful model for semi-scavenging poultry holding. In 1995 more than 6000,000 smallholders were established and the number is now increasing by more than 100,000 per year.

THE BANGLADESH MODEL

Organization

The Model is a three pronged organization where each prong has its specialized functions. The institutional structure behind the model is the Government through the Department of Livestock Services, DLS and NGO's, mainly Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, BRAC. In figure 1 is shown the three lines involved in the Model and the tasks of each line.

Fig.1. Integrated Semi-Scavenging Production Model

PRODUCTION LINE

Breeders. Small low cost parent farms with 25 parent hens per farm. The hens are kept in confinement and fed with balanced feed. The Parent Stock is of improved breed such as White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red and Fayoumi and the male and female are of different breed.

Mini Hatcheries. Small low cost hatcheries operated with close to 100 % solar energy. Black pillows filled with rice husk is heated in the sun and the eggs are placed into a cylinder between 2 pillows for hatching. Each hatchery has a capacity to hatch 1,000 chickens per month.

Chicken Rearers. Small rearing farms, each with a capacity of 200–300 chickens. The chickens are reared in a low cost house from day old to 8 weeks of age. The chickens are fed with balanced feed supplied by the local feed seller.

Smallholders. Small farms with only 10 hens, mainly HYV breeds, supplied by the Chicken Rearers and a few local Desi hens. The hens are kept under semi-scavenging conditions and fed with 30–70 % supplemented feed and scavenge for the remaining part.

SUPPLY LINE

Parent stock. The parent stock is supplied by DLS at market price for day old chickens. The breeds are mainly Fayoumi, White Leghorn and Rode Island Red.

Feed. The feed is supplied by a number of small feed sellers located in the villages. The sellers purchase local by-products from the milling industry and mix it with fishmeal, vitamins and mineral. A feed seller sells about 1 ton of feed per month.

Vaccine/medicine. A number of Poultry Workers are trained to vaccinate the birds. The vaccine is supplied free of charge by the Government but the Poultry Workers charge a vaccination fee.

Marketing. The eggs are collected by Egg Collectors and marketed in the nearby towns or the poultry holders sell the eggs and the chickens themselves in the village.

SERVICE LINE

Group formation. The involved NGO forms small village groups with some 30 members. The groups hold weekly meetings to discuss relevant subjects and new poultry holders are selected from the groups.

Training. Before a poultry holder is established she has been through a 4 days training programme followed by refresher courses.

Credit. Depending on the activities, each member is provided with a small loan ranging from USD 25 to USD 200. The repayment period is 1 year.

Extension. Extension services are provided as a cooperation between the Government and the involved NGO.

The organization of the Model is well developed and well functioning. There is, however, a big gap on the technical side. The scientific resource base for semi-scavenging poultry holdings is rather weak and a professional network for this discipline is not established yet (Dolberg, 1996).

STRATEGIES

Breeding

In general, breeding strategies in developing countries have focused far too much on the genetic potential of the breeds. It is, however, stressed, that improved breed can never be a substitute for bad management.

The objectives of a breeding strategy for the semi-scavenging poultry holdings are: To maintain breeding stocks with a genetic potential, which matches the best smallholders' management skills for producing eggs on the basis of a behaviour condusive to semi-scavenging conditions. To maintain the breeding stock under circumstances which give the best health security and produce parent stocks with a uniform antibody status in order to obtain the best immunity from the vaccination program. To have a multiplication and distribution system which optimize the financial results for the end users, in this case the smallholders, taking the productivity in the multiplication units into due consideration. The semi-scavenging model is in fact an integrated production chain and all links involved shall be considered in the formulation of a breeding strategy. Breeders and Chicken Rearers, where the birds are kept in confinement and fed with balanced feed, must inter alia also be viable units. The complexity of a breeding strategy is illustrated in figure 2. In reproduction links, the egg yield and feed efficiency are the most important traits, while at the smallholder level traits as survival rate and scavenging behaviour are more important.

Fig. 2. Production Line for Semi-Scavenging Model

Even though indigenous breeds are developed and adapted to the local environment, it will not be viable to use them as female parents in a programme as outlined in figure 2. A programme where indigenous breeds are used as parent males may be viable in some areas.

Sazzad (1992) and Quader et al. (1988) have shown in an experiment carried out under field conditions in Bangladesh that improved breeds are superior to the local Desi hens and Rahman (1995) has shown that a cross between two breeds, RIR and Fayoumi, is superior to the pure breeds under semi-scavenging condition in Bangladesh. Chandrasiri et al. (1994) observed, in a deep litter system, a laying intensity of 27,53 and 76% for the breeds Village type, Village × Commercial and Commercial (S 579) respectively. The laying intensity for the Village type was close to be the same under scavenging conditions which also is in agreement with Quader et al.(1988).

An ongoing experiment with 8 different breed combinations, including hybrids, indicates that the choice of breeds is not so important as seen from the average smallholder point of view. The experiment comprises 320 smallholders' each with some 4 HYV hens and 4 Desi hens. The performance data are recorded by field assistants visiting the smallholders twice a week. Preliminary results shown in table 1 indicate an insignificant difference between the breed combinations. Egg in 5 months cover the period from 6 to 11 month of age and the average egg yield cover 2 hatches, 11 month of production for first hatch and 8 month for the second. Only the difference between the breeds AB and ‘Sonali’ is significant (p<0.05).

Table 1. Comparison of breeds under simi-scavenging conditions (Rahman, 1995)

ARIR = Commercial parent male (brown) x Rhode Island Red female

At the low and medium management level, it is of less importance which kind of improved breeds are used as parents, because the genetic potential can not be fully materialized. However, a combination of semi-scavenging condition and high management skill may be able to utilize a higher genetic potential.

The preliminary conclusions to be drawn are

The semi-scavenging model developed in Bangladesh can provide an environment and management skills to utilize the genetic potential of breeds with a higher value than the capacity of randomly selected HYV breeds.

There is no rationale behind use of commercial layers under semi-scavenging conditions at smallholder level. However, use of commercial hybrids as parent hens will enhance the viability of the rural parent farms and a combination of hybrid parent hens and a HYV male may be a viable solution for the smallholders.

An appropriate breeding strategy may be use of commercial brown hybrids as parent hens and a colored improved breed as parent male. Even though the strategy may not be the optimal solution, it is manageable and can be applied till a better strategy has been developed. Furthermore, the proposed strategy provides optimum opportunities for parent farms to be viable operations.

REARING

It is well known that the mortality rate is very high under pure scavenging conditions, especially during the first 4 to 8 weeks of age. The high mortality rate, and the following high number of eggs used for natural hatching, are the main causes for low offtake from a scavenging poultry flock. An offtake below one chicken per adult hen per year is reported by Smith (1990), and is also in line with field observations in Bangladesh and India.

An efficient method to decrease the mortality rate, is to keep the chickens in confinement and vaccinate them against the prevailing diseases during the first part of the rearing period.

Even though the model in Bangladesh is based on rearing of HYV chickens in confinement till 8 weeks of age, the traditional hatching and brooding still are an important element as a side activity for the smallholders. Under traditional brooding, the mortality rate often exceeds 50 % to 8 weeks of age. Wickramenratne et al. (1994) found that predators count for up to 88 % of the mortality and that coloured birds had a higher survival rate than white birds.

There is a close relation between the weight and growth rate of the chickens and the mortality rate (Roberts et al. 1994; Huque, 1990).

In table 2 is illustrated the interaction between age at start of lay and the monthly egg yield. It is evident that the early starters also have the highest monthly egg yield. The maximum yield for a 4 months period has been 89 eggs or 75 % of lay.

A proper rearing strategy will be to rear the chickens in confinement for the first 8 weeks of life, provide balanced feed and use of vaccination programme.

Table 2. Age at point of lay vs. laying intensity

± SD = Standard deviation.

Provide sufficient amount of supplemental feed during the remaining part of the rearing period to allow the chickens to be developed in accordance with their genetic background.

Provide supplemental feed and protection to natural brooded chickens during the first 4–8 weeks of age.

The composition of supplemental feed will depend on the kind of scavenged feed available. A form of free choice feeding may be the best method until further information is available. It is important to ensure that the chickens are developed normally after leaving the confinement.

LAYING PERIOD

The rationale behind the semi-scavenging model is that the fewer eggs produced per hen is compensated by lower feed cost assuming scavenged feed is available without any cost. The availability of scavenged feed is as such the cornerstone in the model but also the most difficult item to deal with. First, the amount of scavenged feed is an unknown factor and second, the amount fluctuates over the seasons. The gap between scavenged feed available and the feed required, is to be to filled with supplemental feed. In order to estimate the amount of supplemental feed, an area's carrying capacity and the density of birds has to be known. Furthermore, the composition of available scavenged feed has to be known in order to compose a balanced supplemental diet. With our present knowledge, it is impossible to create the optimum conditions for the hens and therefore the productivity will be lower than for hens kept under commercial intensive conditions.

In table 3 is shown performance data from three different locations in Bangladesh. The age, season and breeds are all the same at the three sites (Rahman, 1996). There is no doubt that the location has a great effect on the performance. Manikganj is by far the best place and Rajshahi shows the lowest performance data. The higher mortality caused by predators in Rajshahi is probably because it is a sugar cane area with many predators and furthermore, the area is less suitable for scavengers than the two other areas.

Table 3. Location effect on egg yield, mortality rate and supplementary feed from 6 to 11 months of age

The knowledge of the composition of the supplemental diet is limited, and the same are methods to determine an area's carrying capacity. An experiment with free choice of cereals and protein concentrate is planned and with free access to the feed during 2-3 hour in the evening. The rational is, that high yielding layers must not consume more feed than they are able to pay for and by giving the feed in the evening they still will be motivated for scavenging for their feed in the morning.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS

Semi-scavenging poultry holdings are an income generating activity with very low barriers. In rural areas nearly everybody is familiar with poultry and there are no taboos related to poultry. The initial investment is low, the turnover is fast and the processing and marketing are simple.

The gender issues are an important aspect too. Traditionally women are involved in livestock, especially the poultry is under the women's responsibility. Poultry holding is a very suitable activity for poor landless and destitute women in rural areas.

Ten semi-scavenging hens can, in many areas, provide the same income as a women day labour, which means that the women can stay at home and take care of the children and other family activities without affecting the family income.

To be involved in the process of establishing and operating a small flock of poultry is very educational. The women learn to organize themselves into groups, to administer loans, and the value of proper management. If they do not feed the hens properly then they will stop laying and if they do not vaccinate the chickens then they will die.

Experiences from Bangladesh (Jensen, 1995) show, that after two years in the programme the main part of the smallholders have established additional income generating activities and are on their way out of the poverty circle.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author is grateful to DANIDA and IFAD for funding the Smallholder Livestock Development Project, SLDP, to the staff of DLS, BRAC and Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute for providing information and to the members of the Technical Assistance Team, Frands Dolberg, Hanne Nielsen, Tamas Ferhervary and Dr. Ziaddin Ahmed, for fruitful discussion and cooperation and to Dr. Poul Sorensen, Danish Institute of Animal Science, for conducting the statistical analyses.

REFERENCES

CAHANDRASIRI, A.D.N., GUNARATNE, S.P., WICKRAMERATNE, S.H. and ROBERTS, J.A. (1994) The Egg and Meat Potential of Village Chickens under Scavenging System. SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT. Proceedings of 7th AAAP Animal Science Congress in Bali, Indonesia, July 11–16, 1994, pp 73–75

DOLBERG, F. (1995) Personal communication

HUQUE, Q.M.E., EMDADUL, M.H. and RIGOR, E.M. (1990) The Effect of Chicken Separation on the Productivity of the Hens and Chick. Asian Journal of Animal Science. Vol 3(No.2) 121–123

JENSEN, H.A. (1995) Semi-Scavenging Poultry Holding. Review of Performance at Village Level. Status Progress Report. Phase 3, SLDP.

QUADER, M.A. and RAHMAN, M. (1988) Farming-System. Research Report, Rabi 1988–89. Bangladesh Research Institute, pp 25–31 and pp 47–54.

RAHMAN, M. (1995) HYV Crossbreed under Semi-Scavenging Conditions. SLDP Seminar Bangladesh.

RAHMAN, M. (1996). Personal communication.

ROBERTS, J.A., GUNARATNE, S.P. (1994) The Benefit from use of Creep Feeder for Scavenging Chickens in Villages Sustainable Animal Production and the Environment. Proceedings of 7th AAAP Animal Science Congress in Bali, Indonesia, July 11–16, 1994, pp 69–70

SMITH, A.J. (1990) The Integration of Rural Production into the Family Food Supply System. CTA Proceeding of Smallholder Rural Production pp 115–128. Thessaloniki Greece, October 1990.

WICKRAMERATNE, S.H.G., GUNARATNE, S.P., CHANDRASIRI, A.D.N. and ROBERTS, J.A. (1994) Chick Mortality in Scavenging village in Sri Lanka. Sustainable Animal Production and the Environment. Proceedings of 7th AAAP Animal Science Congress in Bali, Indonesia, July 11–16, 1994, pp 71–72

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