VILLAGE BASED INDIGENOUS MUSCOVY DUCK PRODUCTION IN HUMID SAVANNA ZONE OF NIGERIA

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1 Egypt. Poult. Sci. Vol (33) (II): (1) (13) Egyptian Poultry Science Journal ISSN: 1153 (Print) (On line) VILLAGE BASED INDIGENOUS MUSCOVY DUCK PRODUCTION IN HUMID SAVANNA ZONE OF NIGERIA D. M. Ogah* and O. M. Momoh *Dep. of Anim. Sci., Fac. of Agricu., Nasarawa St. Univ. Keffi ShabuLafia campus Dep. of Anim. Breed. and Phys., Univ. of Agric., P.M.B 373, Makurdi. Benue St., Nigeria Received: 15/0/013 Accepted: 19/05/013 ABSTRACT: Village duck production system was studied in five villages in the north central zone of Nigeria, in two states (Nasarawa and Benue) and the Federal capital territory. A total of 5 households were randomly used for the study. Structured questionnaires and participatory rural appraisal methods was adopted. The study was carried out during rainy season between July and October 007. The result reveals that women were the major keepers of the bird, representing an average of 59.%, with average age of owners to be 0 years. 5.% of the total respondents who keep muscovy ducks are illiterates. Average flock size was about 13. and clutch number per year.1. Management system was 95.% extensive or free range but 95.% provide supplementary feeding to the ducks..% provide temporary shelter. Major constraints to duck production in the study area were disease, lack of market, technical support and incessant droppings by the ducks. Adequate technical assistance that will better the understanding of the husbandry strategies can make the duck a good alternative in provision of meat and egg. Keywords: Muscovy duck, production system, humid savanna, Nigeria. Corresponding author: mosesdogah@yahoo.com

2 D. M. Ogah and O. M. Momoh INTRODUCTION In developing country like Nigeria, poultry production is largely managed under extensive free range or scavenging system, particular at villages and peri urban areas. Majority of the birds are reared at the rural level especially the indigenous stock, providing reservoir for the genetic conservation of the indigenous population. Poultry provide enormous opportunity to the rural poor from the generation of family income to employment opportunity (Akinokun, 1971). Lack of understanding of village poultry production system will normally impede design and implementation of poultry bird advancement program that will impact positively on the rural poor. It is pertinent to understand production system and constraint at this level in other to fashion policies that will enhance productivity of this system. Muscovy ducks are essential parts of many human societies around the world, supplementing chicken in eggs and meat supply, particularly with the ever increasing human population. Indigenous muscovy duck population in Nigeria was put at approximately 11 million and was reported to be distributed all over the agroecological zones of Nigeria particularly in village settings (FLDPCS, 199). They ranked third among the various poultry species in Nigeria (Hassan and Mohammed, 003). Despite the important role of indigenous muscovy duck in the poultry industry, little or no attention is given to investigate into its potential to improving the life of the rural poor who rear it. This study was aimed at investigating and to generates information on village base indigenous muscovy duck production, management practice opportunity and constraints faced by owners MATERIALS AND METHOD Description of study site: The study was conducted in rural areas of two states and the federal capital territory of Nigeria. The states were Benue and Nasarawa State. These States lies within the north central zone of Nigeria, extending from approximately 0 to 1 0 N and to 7.31E.Annual rainfall of this zone are about 001mm. The states are divided into local government areas and municipal council as administrative units, with villages as micro human settlements. The zone lies in a low land area in terms of topography within the guinea savannah agroecological zone of the Country. The zone has about.5 million inhabitants Selection of study area.: Five villages were selected for the study including neighbouring settlement camps, two each from the two states and one from the federal capital. The selection criterion of these villages is the existence of a significant number of muscovy duck keepers. A preinvestigation study was earlier conducted during dry season were information related to number of ducks keepers, distribution husbandry practice were collected. A total of 5 household made up of 5, 5,, 5, were randomly selected from Rutu and Shabu villages in Nasarawa State, Mbakaan and Mbagwen villages of Benue State and old Karu villages of the FCT. Sampling design and data collection: The study was conducted during the rainy season between July and October 007. Household data and socio economic characteristic of the respondent were collected using structured questionnaires and participatory rural appraisal methods. Villages duck production aspect such as duck management system, production performance and constraints were also captured. Information s were collected only

3 Muscovy duck, production system, humid savanna, Nigeria from farmers who rear ducks and other poultry. Interviews and visual observation were done during questionnaire administration. Statistical analysis of the numerical data were analyzed using SPSS (001) for descriptive statistics RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Socioeconomic status of respondents.: The study attempts to describe village based muscovy duck production system in north central Nigeria. The study find out that keeping muscovy duck is widely practiced in the rural communities of central Nigeria serving as source of food and income for the owners. Women are the major owner or rarer of this birds in the rural communities accounting for 59.% Table 1. This indicates that women are responsible for rearing poultry while men are responsible for cultivation and other off farm activities. This finding is in agreement with report of Gueye (199), Mcanish et al. (00) and Mogesse (007), who found out that in a number of African countries poultry flocks are largely owned by women. Average age of respondent rearing ducks is 0.% an indication that muscovy duck rearing is mostly common among the middle age people contrary to chicken rearing which is reported among women and the children (Gueye 199). Literacy level among the respondent indicate that 3.% of the total respondent can not read and write while only 3.7% can barely read and write. This finding is better over what Njenga (005) reported for chicken rarer in south coast of Kenya and Mogesse (007) for North East Ethiopia. The socio economic importance of poultry in the sphere of human relationship explained the differences observed between result obtained here and that reported by other authors, Hassan and Aliyu (199), Ajala et al. (199) in northern Nigeria and Mopate (1999) in N Djamena Chad. There should be deliberate policy on improving the educational status of women as doing that will enhance the social economic status of the family and society through family management and planning. Management of muscovy duck: Management system of indigenous muscovy duck at rural setting in the study area are reported to be 9.% under extensive or free range, only 5.% were reported to practice semi intensive system. Supplementary feeding was reported to be high 95.3, while only. do not provide supplementary feeding to the ducks with Rutu village %. The reasons could be due to the fact that the community is along the riverside and the birds have access to snails and other crustacean providing sufficient need for their survival. This is similar to what Knit et al. (195) reported from central Mali. The study also reveal that duck rearers do not keep them alone but alongside with other poultry birds particularly chicken, as the play a complimentary role in provision of egg and meat to the rural people. Provision of shelter is another integral part of rural poultry about.% of the respondents are reported to provided temporary shelter for the ducks while 15% constructed permanent structures. What informed this growing concern for provision of separated housing for these birds is because of their tendency to litter the environment and cause pollution. This is contrary to chicken rearers as reported by Mogesses (007) for chicken in Ethiopia, where 79.1% of families shared shelter with chicken. % of the respondent reported no shelter for the ducks, this is consistent with report of (Mopate 1999). Flock size and some production performance: Average flock size in individual family is about 13. and varied from village to village and family to family. This result is similar to findings of Ajala et al. (199) in rural areas of Northern Nigeria. Average number of male and female per flock, reports in this study was 3. and. 3

4 D. M. Ogah and O. M. Momoh and indication of more female with average ratio of 1:3. This did not correspondent to what was reported by Mopate et al (1999) in N Djamena Chad. The sex ratio is however lower than standards recommended by (Romboli 19 and Nicholva 00). This low ratio is explained by the need for hard cash that obliges peasants to preferentially sale breeding stocks often large sizes birds whose commercial value are high. For duck keepers this is not prejudicial because they can always count on breeding drake from the neighbor hood to ensure mating of their ducks while they scavenge together. Similarly in most cases duck keepers do prefer to keep one breeding drake per flock to avoid brawl between males. Average age at weaning of duckling s was 0. days. Majority of the farmers mentioned between 5 to 0 days, this findings is consistent with the reports of (Hassan and Aliyu, 199 and Mopate, 1999). Average clutch size and clutch number per year were 13.1 and.1 respectively. The number of clutches per year and as well as number of eggs per laying were similar with the values reported by (Mourthe, 19 and Mopate, 1999). The age at sexual maturity was reported to be.0 month on the average this is also consistent with finding of Ola (000) in south eastern Nigeria. Production constraint: Causes of morality of ducks in the study area were diseases, accident and predators. Disease standout as a major causes responsible for about % of total losses in the production system with predation and accidents responsible at 7. and.% respectively. This similar observation was earlier reported by Mopate (1999) in N Djamena Chad.. Road traffic and children were responsible for the accident, while wild beast and theft as predator. Majority for the mortality reported were as a result of disease mostly between the age of day old to ten weeks of age. In handling disease bird.5% do not have an idea on what to do, only.% report to animal health experts while.0% and.5% kill the bird or sell out when they discover the birds are sick. Other constraint of farmers include lack of technical support.% of respondent were of the view that it constitute another major factor in duck production as many duck rarer do not have basic knowledge of management of the birds. Available market for duck product was also reported to be factor constituting %. Problem of space in terms of available housing space and provission of quality feed were other major problems reported by rearers that impede improvement of indigenous muscovy duck production. Their rate of dropping waste leading to easy pollution of the environment was reported to be a major reason why most poultry farms don t like to keep muscovy duck.

5 Muscovy duck, production system, humid savanna, Nigeria 5 Table (1): Socio economic characteristic of the respondents in village muscovy duck product Nasarawa Benue FCT (Doma) (Lafia) ( Guma) (Makurdi) Parameter Rutu Shabu Mbakaan Mbagwen Sampling size Sex of respondents% Male Female Ages of respondents Educational level Illiterate Read and write Family size (Garki) Karu Av Table (): Flock size and some production performance Parameter Parameters Av. Flock Size No. Of Male Per Flock No. Of Female Per Flock Av. Duckling Per Mother Age At Sexual Maturity (month) Clutch Size Clutch No. per year Age at weaning duckling (day) Rutu (Doma) Shabu (Lafia) Mbakaan Guma Mbagwen (Makurdi) Old Karu (Garki) Av

6 D. M. Ogah and O. M. Momoh Table (3): Muscovy duck management system Type of management Extensive Semi intensive Intensive Supplementary feeding Yes No Rearing ducks only Rearing duck with other poultry Provision of shelter Constructed structure Temporary structure Kitchen No shelter Provision of water Yes No Rutu (Doma) Shabu (Lafia) Mbakaan Guma Mbagwen (Makurdi) Old Karu (Garki) Av

7 Muscovy duck, production system, humid savanna, Nigeria 7 Table (): Factors contributing to low production (constraints) Causes of mortality Diseases Accident Predator Handling of diseases Killing immediately Consumed immediately Sold out Consult veterinary expect Traditional treatment No attempt Other constraints Lack of technical support Available market Lack of space Quality feed. Major problem of rearing ducks dropping handling Doma (Rutu) Lafia (Shabu) Guma (Mbakaan) Makurdi (Mbagwen) FCT (Karu) Av

8 D. M. Ogah and O. M. Momoh CONCLUSION This study identify various major constraints in muscovy duck production which include mortality largely causes by disease out break, lack of technical support, available market and they tendency for then to pollute the environment. These factors if properly considered and remedies provided will go along way to enhance the productivity and contribution of this bird to the rural community. REFERENCES Akinokun O. (1971). The problem of poultry production in Nigeria. Paper presented at the 7 th annual conference of Animal Science Association of Nigeria Ajala M. K.; Nwagu B. I. and Otchere E.O. (19). Socioeconomic of free range poultry production among agro pastoral Fulani women in Kaduna state Nigeria. In proceeding of the silver anniversary conference of the Nigeria Society for Animal Production and the inaugural conference of the WASAP 1 march 199 Abeokuta Nigeria. F L D PCs,(199). Federal Livestock Department and pest control services annual report 199. Gueye E. F. (199) village egg and fowl meat production in Africa World Poultry Sci Hassan W. A. and W. S. Mohammed (003). Ecotype of the muscovy duck in the north west of Nigeria variation in the body weight and bill length in proc of the the ann. Conf. of ASAN A003 Hassan W. A. and Aliyu A. T. (199). Reproductive performance of duck in a arid northern Nigeria ANRPD newsletter (1). Knit H. G.; Traore A. and Wilson R. T. (195). A profile of small holder poultry production in central Mali. In proceeding of of nd International DLGSymposium, poultry production in hot climate of the middle East and Far East 119 June 195,Sporthel Harzstern GoslarHahnenklee,Germany Mcainsh C.V.; Kusina I. ; Madsen J. and Nyoni O. (00). Traditional chicken production in Zimbabwe world poultry science. 0: 33. Mourthe M. (199). Les oles et canards. Collection la vie en vert dargaud editeur e edition. Mogesse H. H. (007) Phenotypic and genetic characteristic of indigenous chicken population in northern Ethiopia Ph D. dissertation submitted to department of animal and wildlife and grassland service university of free state Bloem fountain south Africa. Mopate L.; Balndoh Y. G.; Zeuh V. and Gorgnet G. P. (1999). Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) rearing in urban household of N Djamena Chad. Nickolva M. (00). Effect of the sex ratio on the fertility of muscovy duck(cariana moschata).central European Journal of Agriculture 5 (00) (37 37) Njenga S. K. (005). Productivity and socio cultural aspect of local poultry phenotypes in coastal Kenya M Sc Thesis The royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. Copenhagen Denmark Ola S. I. (000). Vital reproduction and production characteristics of the Nigerian Muscovy duck. In proceedings. of Nigeria Society for Animal Production conf. 193 march 000 Umudike Romboli I. (19). Quelques donnees sur lelevage extensive du canard de Barbarie. In : Actes du Colloque de Belgrade du 5 au 7 novembre 197 SPSS (001). Spss inc Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL011