Rural Poultry Keeping in South Gezira, Sudan

A study on rural poultry production, management and health was conducted at six randomly selected villages in the south district of gezira state in central sudan. hundred rural farmers were interviewed using a set of questionnaire. a scavenging system is commonly practiced by the farmers in all villages. females contributed significantly the highest percentage of the farmers, with 64% versus 46% (males). the farmers prefer local breeds (77% of farmers). the majority of the farmers who rare local breeds are illiterate or with merely primary education (43/77), and they also do not use proper housing or feeding the chickens, vaccination against diseases, and with no use of medication and are not willing to vaccinate. moreover, they also do not provide water, and even if they do, it is usually dirty as they do not clean it. meanwhile, the farmers who keep cross breeds are mainly secondary school or university graduates (13/23). this particular group provide a better managerial aspect in constructing a poultry house that provides poultry rations or household withdrawal plus grains or poultry ration. in addition, they are also vaccinated against newcastle disease, use medication against external and internal parasites, provide feeders and drinkers and clean them periodically. the highest flock size (more than 70 chicken including young chicks) was found to be owned by more literate farmers who keep cross breeds as compared to the local breed kept by illiterate farmers (13/23 and 3/23 cross breeds were kept by more literate and illiterate farmers, respectively). the farmers keep local breeds mainly for self sustain (eggs and meat) and others keep cross breeds for income and mainly egg production. hatchability percentage is slightly high in local breeds compared to cross breeds and is preferred during winter