Prospect and constrains of backyard poultry rearing System in Rural area of Bangladesh

Abstract

Backyard poultry is one of the key sources of protein for the rural people of Bangladesh. Almost every rural family has small flocks of indigenous chickens and ducks under backyard system. Litter materials used by the farmers were sand, ash, rice-husk and jute bags. The farmers provided boiled rice, rice polish and broken rice and provided additional paddy, rice or wheat along that. Pond water, tube well water and water from nearby river and canals were supplied by farmers. Almost all the poultry raisers reared their poultry through free-range scavenging system. Almost all the poultry farmers did not vaccinate their poultry. Newcastle disease was identified as the major threat to the backyard poultry. Their poultry through free-range scavenging system and women were the main poultry raisers. Two causes of death of poultry were identified - 76.92% due to different diseases and 23.08% death due to predators. Egg production of chicken and duck were 30-45/year and 60-80/ year respectively. Despite some problems, backyard farming is seemed to be profitable farming, and contributed family income to some extent in the rural area of Bangladesh.