Poultry genetics and breeding in developing countries

Distribution, management anD ProDuctivity of Poultry genotyPes in most developing countries, there are two parallel poultry industries: one using high-performing commercial layer or broiler genotypes; and the other based on lower-performing, dual-purpose indigenous breeds. the proportions in these two categories vary widely among countries, but in lower-income countries, indigenous stock comprises as much as 90 percent of the poultry population (Pym, guerne Bleich and hoffmann, 2006). the critical distinction between the two forms of production relates to management: commercial stock are generally reared in confinement and housed in flocks ranging from 100 to 200 birds (small) to more than 10 000 birds (large). the birds are usually given compounded feeds, and the larger facilities are normally located close to urban areas. indigenous stock are typically kept by families in rural and sometimes peri-urban areas, in small semiscavenging flocks of ten to 30 birds, which are fed with household scraps and small amounts of other feed. Women and children are usually responsible for managing family flocks (sonaiya, Branckaert and gueye, 1999). Performance differences between the genotypes are often very large.