Quality Assessment of Broiler Day-old Chicks Supplied to Maiduguri, North-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Chick quality assessment was carried out on day-old chicks supplied to Maiduguri. A total of 30 broiler day-old chicks, comprising of 10 chicks each from three major suppliers were used for this study. The chicks were separately grouped according to sources, randomly designated as A, B and C. Physical, microbiological and serological qualities were assessed. Chicks from source B were found to have significantly (P< 0.05) higher mean body weight (33.8 ± 1.21g) than chicks from sources A and C. Similarly, source B chicks had higher mean chick length (18.86 ± 0.21cm) than chicks from other sources. Microbiological assessment revealed E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. as the common bacteria encountered from the navels and cloacal swabs, while Proteus spp. and Streptococcus spp. were only isolated from the navel and cloacal swabs of chicks from sources A and C respectively. Thirty percent of chicks from source C and 10% of chicks from source B were found with antibodies against infectious bursal disease (IBD). Similarly, 80%, 75% and 44.4% of chicks from sources B, C and A were found to have antibodies against Newcastle disease (ND) respectively. Source B was found to supply day-old chicks of better quality to Maiduguri. Minimum standards are suggested to be set for physical, microbiological and serological qualities and a regulatory body should also be established to ensure strict adherence to the minimum standards of day-old chicks quality supplied to farmers in Nigeria.