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CHAPTER ONE

1.0       Background of the Study 

Birds are natural creatures reared or hunted for useful purpose, belonging to a number of bird groups collectively known as poultry. Most of these birds are domesticated and managed in the same principles as domestic fowl. Most of them belong to avian class example, chicken, duck, guinea fowl, turkey, and geese, etc. Animal protein apart from its palatability is essential for normal physical growth and mental development of men. According to that, its deficiency exerts tremendous adverse effects in terms of reduced human productivity due to abnormal development. Its deficiency can also cause advances in infant mortality, pronounced malnutrition and diseases. This underscores the importance of livestock farming as a means of meeting human nutritional needs as well as improving incomes of farmers and their standards of living.

Before the Second World War, Katsina poultry production often raised small flocks, in villages and some parts of towns as well as at some farms. These small flocks supplied eggs and meat for the family and also for sales in the market. In some areas of Katsina, poultry farming was still raised this way. Since the Second World War, however, the poultry production in Katsina town has become highly popular in the villages; most of the eggs and chickens sold in the markets are now produced in commercial quantity.

Poultry production in Katsina town has two main divisions namely:

(a)                Eggs production division, and

(b)               Meat production division.

Eggs production division is the division that deals with the production of eggs and sold as table eggs and also sold to the farmers or any other person willing to hatch them for the purpose of breeding. Meat division is the one that deals with the production of chickens broilers and roasters for turkeys, ducks for the purpose of meat and other consumption purposes either at home or other places in the area.

Going by the increase of population in towns, the demand for foods especially protein becomes acute. To meet the demand for animal proteins, the development of animal production, especially in the fast developing and rapidly multiplying areas poultry production becomes necessary. Poultry production in Katsina town has a bright future. The production of poultry is