Abstract:
The study on the production environment and management of native chickens in La Trinidad, Benguet was conducted on March to May 2016. Generally, the study was conducted to determine the production environment and management of native chickens in La Trinidad, Benguet. Specifically, the study was conducted to determine the socio economic profile of native chicken raisers in La Trinidad Benguet; flock management of native chicken in terms of production and market; problems encountered by the respondents in native chicken production; aspects of native chickens production such as management environments and geographical distribution of native chickens in La Trinidad, Benguet.
A total of 384 respondents from the top twelve Barangays raising native chickens in La Trinidad were interviewed using a structured questionnaire adapted from FAO (2012). The result shows that most of the raisers were in the 51–60-years old age group wherein the youngest was 18 years old and the oldest was 84 years old. The raisers in La Trinidad were mostly undertaken by male individuals and majority of them were high school educated. It was recorded that most of the respondents were laborer and they have a household size ranging from 1-12.
The raisers prefer native chickens than commercial breeds because of low inputs in raising and they were mostly raising the Paraoakan strain. Most raisers encountered problems such as diseases and parasites like avian pest and pisik or colds but most of them do not give vitamins and minerals but some were using veterinary drugs to treat sick chickens like vetracin, ambroxitil and amthyl. It was observed that majority of the raisers in La Trinidad practiced extensive management system specifically no housing for their native chickens and they were practicing limited feeding and also uncontrolled breeding was mostly performed. Raisers of native chickens basically raise their chickens for egg and meat for consumption and only few were selling their flocks to neighborhood. All of the respondents mentioned that their access to veterinary facilities, extension services, and marketing is limited.
Based on the results of the study, proper management on feeding, housing, breeding, marketing and health is inadequate resulting to low productivity. It is therefore suggested that improvement be made on feeding, housing, breeding, marketing, and health management be implemented.
