The care and management of indigenous chicken in Northern communal areas of Namibia

摘要

IndigenouschickenproductioninNamibiaisoneofthelivestocksectorsthathavereceivedverylittleattentionintermsofresearchandveterinaryextensionservices.Farmersthemselvesregardrearingofindigenouschickensasasecondaryactivity.Thebirdskeptundertheextensivemanagementsystemlivebyscavengingforfeedaroundthehomestead.Asurveywascarriedouttodeterminetheextenttowhichindigenouschickensreceivedcareandextensionmanagementsupport.nbsp;MixingwithotherlivestockwasobservedinOshana(42%),Ohangwena(36%),Omusati(86%)followedbyKavango(14%).Itwasalsoobservedthatthereisextensiveinteractionbetweenhumansandtheirchickens,sincechickenswereseenscavengingalloverthehouseseveninplaceswherehouseholds#8217;foodisprepared.Mortalitiesinchickswerehighest(85%)followedbyadults(40%).nbsp;Thereislackofveterinaryextensionserviceintheruralareasvisitedandhencesomefarmers(14%)optedfortheuseoflocalherbstotreattheirchickenswhenevertheyfeltsickorshowingsignsofillhealth.Themajorityoffarmersdonottreattheirbirds(64%).