High yielding genetically modified chicken from India may soon replace the locally-bread chicken as government tries to improve household incomes from poultry.
Eggs of Kuroiler chicken were imported almost a year ago and chicks hatched from the eggs are already with selected farmers across the country awaiting a rollout by agriculture ministry’s Animal Genetic Resources Centre.
Animal husbandry Minister, Bright Rwamirama says findings from the study have shown that the Kuroiler chicken once popularized, will contribute to the enhancement of household incomes.
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Rwamirama says Kuroilers, now widely reared in Indian villages, are almost similar to the local breeds in Uganda because they don’t require much attention like the broiler chicken.
Female Kuroilers have an advantage of high egg production with a capacity to produce 180 to 200 eggs compared to about 30 laid by traditional local chicken. Male Kuroiler can attain one kilogram body weight in two months compared to 240 days for local cocks.
Rwamirama says initially the Kuriolers are being given out selectively to farmers to protect traditional village chicken breeds.
A study conducted by the ministry in five selected districts indicted that Kuroilers have a survival rate of 84 percent compared to indigenous chicken and had a much higher body weight gain in adulthood. Kuroilers according to the study weighed three kilograms as opposed to 1.5 to 2 kilos for indigenous cocks.
