The researchers at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have pledged that with the institute’s breeding programme, the upgrade of ShikaBrown stock is expected to lay at least between 350 and 380 eggs for a 90-week cycle.
According to the researchers, the need to upgrade ShikaBrown Grand Parent Stock (GPS) became necessary to improve traits for better performance and economic expansion in response to Nigeria’s population prediction for 2050.
NAPRI also said that the concerted effort made to maintain the genetics resources in the ShikaBrown GPS potential since the development of the project about 45 years ago was not a mean record.
According to NAPRI, the ShikaBrown Layer project is the result of active breeding and selection work by scientists at the poultry research programme since 1979.
ABU Director of Public Affairs, Mallam Awwalu Umar, explained at the weekend that “it is essentially to create suitable parent stocks and commercial egg layers from a layer gene pool of different combinations of lines in the grandparent generations.”
With the upgrade, the existing hatcheries and breeding farms will have adequate supplies of high-performing and resilient parent stock layer chickens that will be used to produce layers for commercial farms, he noted.
“This is besides the springing up of more breeding farms and hatcheries as well as the provision of employment opportunities for many. Other expected impacts of the upgrade will be the availability of more animal protein from poultry meat and eggs for human consumption to improve nutrition and health.”
“it is also expected that the foreign exchange used to import parent stock will be available for other needs that cannot be met locally upon completion of the upgrade.”
Meanwhile, speaking on the development, the Head of Poultry Research Programme, Dr. Idris Abdullahi, explained that results from scientific researches have shown that the chicken genetic potential has plateaued genetically with little genetic gains, especially traits selected for egg number and egg size.
“This simply implies that there is more opportunities in the population from which more selection gains can be made”, Abdullahi said.
The programme leader also spoke on the development of broiler foundation at the institute.
According to him, the broiler foundation development at the programme began with the introduction of two foundation broiler lines – Anak and Hubbard.
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