Improving the Health of Scavenging Poultry

Related
Research Projects:

R7633

Improving the Health of
Scavenging Poultry

Background

Throughout the developing world scavenging poultry are important in their contributions to human nutrition and household income. They are often owned but certainly usually managed by women who benefit greatly from their output. Scavenging poultry are also owned or managed by other marginalized groups including children and, in India , those of lower social status. Up to 80 per cent of household income derives from poultry for some of these groups.
Disease is a major impediment to increased output from scavenging poultry and may cause 80 per cent losses before birds reach reproductive age. Because owners of scavenging poultry are indeed so poor there is little opportunity for them to purchase conventional medicines. Some feedstuffs, often of local origin, contain tannins, saponins and antioxidants that act against disease organisms and can thus – in conjunction with better general nutrition and improved management (especially housing) -- contribute to reduced mortality levels and higher output of meat and eggs. Many producers have some prior indigenous knowledge (ethnoveterinary medicine) of these plants and their effects.

Formulating rations not containing cereals

Improving the Feed Management
of Indigenous Domestic Fowl

The Context

Who?

Targeted at ...

The technology is aimed primarily at small scale poultry keepers or groups of producers owning or managing an enterprise. Secondarily it is directed to agricultural, livestock and veterinary extension and other advisory personnel (public and private sectors including NGOs). As poultry keeping is a particularly suitable enterprise for women and women's groups advisors in cooperative associations or home economics' advisors should also be part of the overall target group.

When?

The tool can be used at all times of the year as poultry production is a continuous activity.

Where?

The tool can be applied across a very broad range of agroecological zones and in a multiplicity of production systems. The primary target zones for the development of this tool were, however, in forest agriculture and peri-urban areas.

Methods

The aim is to reduce morbidity ("disease", "ill health") and mortality "death") at least cost making maximum use of locally available resources. Reducing mortality and improving feed use will improve productivity of local birds by as much as 30 per cent and by considerably more in some cases.

Resources Required

Where possible physical equipment (expellers, ram presses, hammer and grinding mills) should be owned by the individual poultry producer or a small cooperative or producer association. An assured supply of basic ingredients for the ration is necessity as poultry are especially susceptible to changes in died or dietary ingredients that result in at least temporarily reduced output.

Support

Some support will normally be required from public and private advisory services in order to ensure the technology is correctly transferred and properly used. The extension personnel themselves will need to be trained in the technology. If cooperative or home economics personnel are also to be included in creating awareness of the use and benefits of the technology they will also need to be included in a training programme.

Costs

Additional financial costs are small. There will be some minimal costs if an integrated approach is adopted that includes improved housing but use of local materials would mitigate even these low costs. These should rapidly be repaid by lowered costs of production and higher outputs of higher quality products.

Benefits

The direct benefits to the producer are a higher income and a constant income stream and improved well being of resource poor farmers and particularly women and other disadvantaged groups. Benefits accrue particularly to producers who use native birds in their scavenging system ("desi" in India and other varieties elsewhere) as these usually attract a premium price over exotic or "improved" types. More widely correct employment of the tool should lead to more sustainable livelihoods over a broad geographic area and small scale production systems. More assured supplies of high quality poultry products would improve the diets and the quality of life of consumers.

Risks

There appear to be few risks associated with the use of the technology

Alternatives

The alternative to making maximum use of local plants or "ethnoveterinary medicine" would be to make use of commercial and costly patent protected veterinary pharmaceuticals the cost of which would probably be prohibitive for the target group.

Impacts

Impacts are mostly positive. Use of local plants as medicines would be sustainable provided care was taken to ensure there was no overexploitation or that replacement plants were grown. The environmental impact would be neutral-positive as there would be fewer drug residues in poultry products and in the physical environment.

Policy Implications

National, regional and district administrations should include policy options in their development plans that encourage identification and rational use of local plants with therapeutic properties

References and Further Reading

Key findings of the baseline survey on scavenging poultry in Trichy and Udaipur districts, India
Anon. 1999. Ethnoveterinary medicine: alternatives for livestock development. Proceedings of a conference held in Poona India. BAIF.
Heinrich, M., Robles, M., West, J.E. , de Montellano, B.R and Rodriguez, E. (1998). Ethnopharmacology of Mexican Asteraceae (Compositae). Annual Review of Pharmacological Toxicology 38: 539-565.
Kuit, H.G., Traoré, A. and Wilson, R.T. (1987). Livestock production in central Mali: Ownership, management and productivity of poultry in the traditional sector. Tropical Animal Health Production 18: 222-231.
Wilson, R.T., Traoré, A., Kuit, H.G. and Slingerland, M. (1988). Livestock production in central Mali : Reproduction, growth and mortality of domestic fowl under traditional management. Tropical Animal Health Production 19: 229-236.