Management factors associated with the survival and market weight of broiler chickens among small-scale farmers in the Dodoma City of Tanzania.

Broiler chickens have the genetic potential for significant weight gain over a very short period of time. As a result, they account for over 92 % of the world's poultry meat production in different parts of the world. Yet, to fully realise their growth potential, effective management practices are crucial, encompassing aspects like nutritious feeds, disease control, optimal temperature, and adequate housing. The purpose of the study was to determine the management practices associated with the survival and market weight of broiler chickens in small-scale production. Small-scale poultry production plays a significant role in poverty reduction and household nutrition in developing countries. One hundred and forty small-scale broiler farmers were visited for interviews in the Dodoma City. Employing a structured questionnaire, data on management practices was gathered, while past production records determined market weight and survival rates. Most chickens weighed 1.8-2.3 kg at the end of the production cycle, with a mean live weight of 2.0 kg. Heat provision to chick housing in the early growth stages increased both survival and market weight. Conversely, chicken vaccination and the farmer's experiences were correlated with an increased survival rate. Furthermore, higher feed quantities offered to growers and finishers were linked to greater market weight. It was concluded that enhancing knowledge among small-scale farmers through training and extension services has the potential to increase broiler productivity.

The prevalence and factors associated with mastitis in dairy cows kept by small-scale farmers in Dodoma, Tanzania.

Bovine mastitis is among the major diseases of economic importance in the dairy industry worldwide. Hygienic conditions during milking and housing are important determinants of mastitis infections. However, arid and semi-arid areas have a scarcity of water, which is an essential component of cleanliness. Thus, the study determined the prevalence of mastitis and associated factors in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania. Three hundred and sixty-eight lactating cows were selected randomly from 114 farms in the Dodoma urban district for mastitis determination based on clinical signs and the California Mastitis Test. About 59.8 % of the cows had mastitis, and the subclinical type dominated. Factors associated with mastitis prevalence were cleanliness (hand and udder washing before milking), farmers' awareness of mastitis, the cow's parity and lactation stage, and herd size. Milk yield was not associated with the mastitis status of the cow but was related to the breed of the cow, whether warm or cold water was used to wash the cow's udder, parity, and lactation stage. Improvement in education on the importance of hygiene is necessary, as 38.6 % of the farmers were unaware of mastitis. Further detailed studies on microbiology, such as bacteriologic culture and polymerase chain reaction, are recommended to formulate interventions.

The impact of management practices on the disease and mortality rates of broilers and layers kept by small-scale farmers in Dodoma urban district, Tanzania.

The demand for chicken products in Tanzania has increased due to population growth and rising incomes. As a result, the production of broilers and layers has been promoted to fill the gap due to their high productivity. However, exotic breeds of chicken are susceptible to diseases, thus requiring good disease management practices. The current study aimed to increase production of exotic breeds of chicken in the Dodoma region, which is growing rapidly, by identifying management factors associated with disease and chicken mortality. One hundred and four households that keep broilers or layers were selected randomly from the Dodoma urban district. The households were interviewed to gather information about chicken diseases, mortality, and management practices. The proportion of sick and dead chickens per farm was determined and used in beta regression to test its association with management practices and chicken breed. The proportion of sick chickens in a flock was low when stocking density was low and in large households, but it was higher when the farmer lacked knowledge of disease management. Further, mortality rates were high when farmers lacked disease knowledge and cleaning frequency was low, and low when farmers had extensive experience in chicken production. Improvement of extension services and education programmes for poultry farmers on good disease management practices is necessary to increase the production of layers and broilers in the region.

Pond water quality and its relation to fish yield and disease occurrence in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas.

The study was conducted to determine the associations between water availability and management practises with pond water parameters in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas. Further, the study determined the associations between fish yield and disease incidence with the pond water parameters. We visited 36 tilapia farmers in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania, for interviews and measurements of pond water parameters. The interviews collected information about pond type, pond age, water sources, feed type, pond fertilisation, stocking density, and disease incidences. The sources of water for the aquaculture activities were tap water, boreholes, and shallow wells. The source of water and management practises were linked to the parameters of the pond water. On the other hand, the parameters of the pond water were associated with fish yield and the likelihood of disease occurrence. Fish yield had a non-linear relationship with DO, turbidity, salinity, and stocking density and a linear association with pH. To expand aquaculture development in arid areas, efficient use of water through integrated aquaculture is recommended. Training farmers in good management practises and integration is necessary to ensure sustainable aquaculture development in arid areas.

The role of feeds in the transmission of chicken pathogens in Dodoma Urban District, Tanzania.

Chicken production is an important economic activity in Tanzania. Indigenous chickens are kept in rural areas, while exotic breeds are kept in urban areas. Due to their high productivity, exotic breeds are becoming important sources of protein in fast-growing cities. Dodoma is one of the cities growing very fast in Tanzania. As a result, production of layers and broilers has increased dramatically. However, diseases remain the major challenge to chicken production despite the efforts of livestock officers to educate people on good management practices. This has made farmers think that feeds may be the source of pathogens. The study's objectives were thus to identify the major diseases affecting broiler and layer chickens in the Dodoma urban district, as well as the potential role of feeds in pathogen transmission to chickens. A household survey was conducted to identify common diseases affecting chickens in the study area. Thereafter, locally prepared feed samples were collected from twenty shops available in the district to determine the presence of Salmonella and Eimeria parasites. The presence of Eimeria parasites in the feeds was determined by raising day-old chicks in a sterile environment for 3 wk while feeding them the feed samples collected. Fecal samples from the chicks were analyzed for the presence of Eimeria parasites. Salmonella contamination of the feed samples was determined in the laboratory through the culture method. The study found that coccidiosis, Newcastle disease, fowl typhoid, infectious bursal disease, and colibacillosis are the main diseases affecting chickens in the district. After 3 wk of rearing, 3 out of 15 chicks developed coccidiosis. In addition, about 31.1% of the feed samples showed the presence of Salmonella spp. The prevalence of Salmonella was highest in limestone (53.3%), followed by fishmeal (26.7%), and maize bran (13.3%). It has been concluded that feeds are potential carriers of pathogens. To reduce economic losses and the continuous use of drugs in chicken production, health authorities should assess the microbial quality of poultry feeds.

Determinants of fish catch and post-harvest fish spoilage in small-scale marine fisheries in the Bagamoyo district, Tanzania.

The fisheries sector of Tanzania is dominated by small-scale fishers who produce up to 95% of the total amount of fish caught in the country. The small-scale fisheries are constrained by inadequate infrastructure, including a lack of capacity for processing and cold storage facilities, poor transportation and fishing tools that increase post-harvest losses. Small-scale fishers lack sufficient capital and skills to invest in modern fishing technologies. Additionally, social-demographic aspects of the fishers, such as education level, gender, age, fishing experience and training influence access to fishing resources and capital, leading to variation in fish catch and post-harvest losses. Thus, this study examined factors that influence fish catch and spoilage in small-scale fisheries in the Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. Forty randomly selected fishers from the Mlingotini fishing village were interviewed. The results show that after spending an average of 11 h per fishing session, the fishers catch an average of 18.5 kg of fish. The amount of fish captured differed with fishing experience, age and sex of the fisher, education level of the fisher, and the time spent selling the captured fish. On average, 10% of the weight of the fish captured per fishing session spoils. The level of spoilage varied according to the fisher's age and sex, education level, fishing experience, length of fishing session, and fishing gear used. Provision of training related to fish processing and handling and improvement of cold storage and transport facilities are recommended to reduce spoilage.

Grouping behaviour and activity patterns of impala (Aepyceros melampus) in a nutrient -rich and a nutrient-poor savanna in Tanzania.

African savannas are broadly categorised into nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor according to soil nutrient availability and precipitation. Soil nutrients limit plant growth in the nutrient-rich savannas, leading to little plant biomass of high nutrient concentrations. In the nutrient-poor savannas soil nutrients are depleted before plant growth ceases, resulting in large production of nutrient-poor plant biomass. Impala (Aepyceros melampus), are medium-sized antelopes occurring in both savannas, but they face feeding challenges in the nutrient-poor savannas because of high energy requirements. Activity patterns of impala are well studied, but few studies compared savannas with differing soil nutrients and animal communities. I used the scanning methods to study impala activities in a nutrient-rich savanna, the Serengeti National Park, and a nutrient-poor savanna, the Mikumi National Park in Tanzania, during the wet and dry seasons. Impala are gregarious and mixed feeders, utilising grasses during the wet season, switching to browsing during the dry season, making them good candidates for comparing savannas and seasons. The impala formed bigger groups in Mikumi during the wet season splitting during the dry season. Grazing time was higher in the wet season than in the dry season in Serengeti, but did not differ between the seasons in Mikumi. Browsing time was longer in Mikumi than Serengeti during the dry season, and longer in Serengeti than Mikumi during the wet season. Resting time was longer in Serengeti than Mikumi during the wet season, while walking time was longer in Mikumi than Serengeti during the dry season. Family groups spent longer time resting than bachelor groups in both sites. The study shows obvious differences in grouping and activity patterns of impala between the sites and the seasons. Further studies are recommended to explore the influence of savanna and season on grouping behaviour and activity patterns of herbivores.