By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria The National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Shika, Zaria, has announced plans to hatch betwee...
By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria
The National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Shika, Zaria, has announced plans to hatch between 17,000 and 20,000 day-old chicks of the ShikaBrown parent stock of layers during its 2024/2025 hatching season.
The hatching activity, which commenced in February 2024, is part of NAPRI’s mandate to genetically improve animal breeds in Nigeria, with an extended focus across Africa.
The ShikaBrown breed, developed and produced by NAPRI, is a high-performing egg layer capable of producing an average of 280 to 300 eggs per production cycle.
According to a statement signed by Awwal Musa, Director of Public Affairs at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), the season began on a positive note, with the first batch of ShikaBrown chicks achieving a 75 percent hatchability rate.
The statement further disclosed that NAPRI is targeting partnerships with over five organizations that will receive parent stock chicks for further propagation and eventual distribution of ShikaBrown commercial layers to farmers.
Despite ongoing financial and economic challenges, NAPRI has maintained and even upscaled its annual hatching activities, underscoring its commitment to boosting Nigeria’s poultry industry.
The institute described this year’s hatching programme as a boost not only for the poultry sector but also for the newly created Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.
However, the statement highlighted several operational challenges, including high diesel costs, expensive veterinary drugs, limited hatchery capacity, and reliance on manual sexing methods.
NAPRI expressed optimism that its ongoing collaborations with partner organizations will help enhance the population of ShikaBrown parent stocks nationwide, ensuring steady egg supply and contributing to Nigeria’s food security.
“This will be achieved through the genetic upgrading of ShikaBrown using imported grandparent stocks where necessary,” the statement added.
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