Programmes and Units:
POULTRY RESEARCH PROGRAMME
Objectives
- Improvement of genetic and reproductive
capacity of poultry species including local and exotic chickens, guinea
fowls and turkeys.
- Improvement of management practices
of poultry production.
- Determination of the nutritional
needs of all classes of poultry.
- Research into the utilization of
conventional and non-conventional feed ingredients and
- To ensure standardization and quality
of poultry feeds.
Some of the research
highlights include:
- Development of layer type breed
of chicken for Nigeria the Shikabrown® layer
- The use of unconventional feed
resources for poultry diets
- Comparative performance of naked
neck broilers and imported Ross or Anak breed
- Study on the seasonability of reproduction
in guinea fowl
- Characterization of local chickens
- The use of Shikabrown® breeding
cock for upgrading local birds
Current research
focus
- Development of mean type breed
of chicken for Nigeria.
- Comparative performance of naked
neck broilers and imported Ross or Anak broiler breed.
- Study on the seasonability of reproduction
in guinea fowl
- Characterization of local chickens
- The use of Shikabrown® breeding
cock for upgrading local chickens for the Agricultural Development Projects
(ADPs)
Some recent research results
Shikabrown® Layer
Over fifteen years of research by scientists at the National Animal Production
Research Institute (NAPRI) has led to the production of a layer strain.
The brown egg layer - Shikabrown® - has a number of unique qualities,
which makes it preferred layer strain in Nigeria and indeed the
West Sub-region. Some of these qualities include excellent shell quality,
high production, rate, persistency, egg weight, livability, and feed conversion.
The Shikabrown® is hardly, highly adapted to the harsh tropical environment
and resistant to many diseases of economic importance. The Shikabrown®
commercials underwent multi-locational production and adaptability trial
in all the ecological zones of the Nigeria before it was released to the
public. The bird is well adapted to the tropical climate and gives the
best economic returns. The Shikabrown® has been acclaimed the future
backbone of the poultry industry in Nigeria.
Traits
Parents
Commercial
Age at first egg (days)
178
131
Age at 50% production (weeks)
36
24
Age at Peak production
(weeks)
39
27
% at Peak
71
83
No of weeks above 70%
14
26
Mortality (%)
-
6
Hen Housed Production
261
280
Hen-day Production
266
293
Body weight at
24 weeks (g)
1650
1750
The birds are well adapted to tropical
climate. They are hardy and resistant to many diseases hence less investment
of drugs. If good management is manipulated, good economic returns on
investment are envisaged.
Performance of pullet chicks fed graded levels of cassava peel meal (0
- 8 weeks)
Level of CPM (%)
Initial weight (g)
Weight gain (g)
Feed intake (g/bird)
Feed Efficiency (g/bird)
Mortality (%)
0
42.58
513.76
1303.28
2.54
0.83
5
42.75
492.47
1281.43
2.66
1.67
10
42.67
490.39
1298.65
2.65
1.67
15
42.92
496.44
1325.84
2.67
2.50
20
42.75
495.34
1301.59
2.78
1.67
25
42.83
445,73
1374.19
3.00
5.00
30
42.50
481.67
1411.37
2.93
0.00
35
42.75
482.98
1438.92
2.98
0.00
40
42.83
479.71
1466.25
3.05
1.67
Chicks could be fed up to 20% CPM
in their diets without any detrimental effect on weight gain, feed intake,
feed efficiency and mortality rate.
Level of corn cob
Initial weight
Weight intake
Feed intake
Feed conversion
Mortaity
0
43
425
1.42
3.37
0.00
5
43
384
1.45
3.80
0.00
10
43
377
1.48
3.92
0.00
15
43
372
1.50
4.03
2.22
20
43
356
1.53
4.26
0.00
25
43
330
1.57
4.77
2.22
30
43
310
1.56
5.06
0.00
Corn cob meal has a negative effect
on the performance of chicks for all parameters tested except for mortality.
Objectives
- Improvement of genetic and reproductive capacity of poultry species including local and exotic chickens, guinea fowls and turkeys.
- Improvement of management practices
of poultry production.
- Determination of the nutritional needs of all classes of poultry.
- Research into the utilization of conventional and non-conventional feed ingredients and
- To ensure standardization and quality
of poultry feeds.
Some of the research highlights include:
- Development of layer type breed of chicken for Nigeria the Shikabrown® layer
- The use of unconventional feed resources for poultry diets
- Comparative performance of naked neck broilers and imported Ross or Anak breed
- Study on the seasonability of reproduction in guinea fowl
- Characterization of local chickens
- The use of Shikabrown® breeding
cock for upgrading local birds
Current research
focus
- Development of mean type breed of chicken for Nigeria.
- Comparative performance of naked neck broilers and imported Ross or Anak broiler breed.
- Study on the seasonability of reproduction in guinea fowl
- Characterization of local chickens
- The use of Shikabrown® breeding cock for upgrading local chickens for the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs)
Some recent research results
Shikabrown® Layer
Over fifteen years of research by scientists at the National Animal Production
Research Institute (NAPRI) has led to the production of a layer strain.
The brown egg layer - Shikabrown® - has a number of unique qualities,
which makes it preferred layer strain in Nigeria and indeed the
West Sub-region. Some of these qualities include excellent shell quality,
high production, rate, persistency, egg weight, livability, and feed conversion.
The Shikabrown® is hardly, highly adapted to the harsh tropical environment
and resistant to many diseases of economic importance. The Shikabrown®
commercials underwent multi-locational production and adaptability trial
in all the ecological zones of the Nigeria before it was released to the
public. The bird is well adapted to the tropical climate and gives the
best economic returns. The Shikabrown® has been acclaimed the future
backbone of the poultry industry in Nigeria.
| Traits | Parents | Commercial |
| Age at first egg (days) | 178 | 131 |
| Age at 50% production (weeks) | 36 | 24 |
| Age at Peak production (weeks) | 39 | 27 |
| % at Peak | 71 | 83 |
| No of weeks above 70% | 14 |
26 |
| Mortality (%) | - |
6 |
| Hen Housed Production | 261 | 280 |
| Hen-day Production | 266 | 293 |
| Body weight at 24 weeks (g) | 1650 | 1750 |
The birds are well adapted to tropical
climate. They are hardy and resistant to many diseases hence less investment
of drugs. If good management is manipulated, good economic returns on
investment are envisaged.
Performance of pullet chicks fed graded levels of cassava peel meal (0
- 8 weeks)
| Level of CPM (%) | Initial weight (g) | Weight gain (g) | Feed intake (g/bird) |
Feed Efficiency (g/bird) |
Mortality (%) |
| 0 | 42.58 | 513.76 | 1303.28 | 2.54 | 0.83 |
| 5 | 42.75 | 492.47 | 1281.43 | 2.66 | 1.67 |
| 10 | 42.67 | 490.39 | 1298.65 | 2.65 | 1.67 |
| 15 | 42.92 | 496.44 | 1325.84 | 2.67 | 2.50 |
| 20 | 42.75 | 495.34 | 1301.59 | 2.78 | 1.67 |
| 25 | 42.83 | 445,73 | 1374.19 | 3.00 | 5.00 |
| 30 | 42.50 | 481.67 | 1411.37 | 2.93 | 0.00 |
| 35 | 42.75 | 482.98 | 1438.92 | 2.98 | 0.00 |
| 40 | 42.83 | 479.71 | 1466.25 | 3.05 | 1.67 |
Chicks could be fed up to 20% CPM in their diets without any detrimental effect on weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency and mortality rate.
| Level of corn cob |
Initial weight |
Weight intake | Feed intake | Feed conversion |
Mortaity |
| 0 | 43 | 425 | 1.42 | 3.37 | 0.00 |
| 5 | 43 | 384 | 1.45 | 3.80 | 0.00 |
| 10 | 43 | 377 | 1.48 | 3.92 | 0.00 |
| 15 | 43 | 372 | 1.50 | 4.03 | 2.22 |
| 20 | 43 | 356 | 1.53 | 4.26 | 0.00 |
| 25 | 43 | 330 | 1.57 | 4.77 | 2.22 |
| 30 | 43 | 310 | 1.56 | 5.06 | 0.00 |
Corn cob meal has a negative effect on the performance of chicks for all parameters tested except for mortality.