Small stock in development: Proceedings of a workshop on enhancing the contribution of small livestock to the livelihoods of resource-poor communities

Low-fibre sunflower residue (SFR) included in the diet is a viable option for improving production in smallholder-owned poultry. Four hundred day-old broiler chicks (200 hybrid + 200 village chicks) were given broiler starter (1-28 days) and a low-fibre sunflower residue diet (29-84 days). On day 29 the chicks were randomly allocated to four treatments (2 types of chicks, 2 systems of housing): Hybrid, in pen and free range; Village in pens and free range; replicated on 10 farms and managed by women. Weight gain, feed and water intake were significantly lower (P<0.05) in village chickens (0.70– 0.72 kg) at eight weeks and (1.05 kg–1.19 kg) at 12 weeks compared with hybrid chickens (1.96–2.43 kg) at eight weeks and (2. 54–3.37 kg) at 12 weeks. However, the breast meat tissue of the village chickens was high in crude protein (CP, 74 per cent) and low in ether extract (EE, 33 per cent) compared with 69 per cent CP and 50 per cent EE in hybrids. At eight weeks, feed efficiency in free-range village chickens (2.7) was similar to hybrids in pen (2.6) and free-range hybrids. This was better than village chickens in pen (3.2). Interestingly, at 12 weeks, feed efficiency declined in hybrids (4.0 penned, 4.2 free-range), while there was an improvement in village chickens (3.0 penned, 2.6 free-range). A low water: feed ratio was observed in village chickens (1.6 free-range, 1.7 penned) compared with free-range hybrids (2.1) and hybrids in pen (2.2) at eight weeks. However, at 12 weeks the differences in water: feed ratio between hybrid and village chickens were not significant (P>0.05), being 2.2 in pen and 2.1 in free-range hybrid compared with 1.9 in penned and 1.8 in free-range village chickens. At eight weeks the gross margin per bird for hybrids (equivalent to US$ 2.30-3.19) was high compared to village chickens (equivalent to US$ 54-0.79). But at 12 weeks village chickens showed improved gross margin (equivalent to US$ 1.21-1.27) compared with hybrid chickens (equivalent to US$ 1.27-2.33). Return per dollar of village chickens in pens (1.30) was lower than village chickens on free-range (1.55), which was similar to hybrid chickens on free range (1.60). At 12 weeks, return per dollar significantly improved (1.48–1.61) for village chickens compared with 1.20–1.30 for hybrid chickens.