Browsing by Author "Okwany, Alex"

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    IMPLIMENTATION OF BIOSECURITY PRACTICES AND THEIR EFFECT ON CHICKEN HEALTH IN LIRA CITY, NORTHERN UGANDA
    (Gulu University, 2026-10) Okwany, Alex
    Chicken production in Uganda is constrained by disease outbreaks and worm burden possibly due to inadequate biosecurity practices by chicken farmers. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the extent of use and effect of biosecurity practices on chicken health among 180 smallholder and commercial chicken farmers in Lira City, Northern Uganda. The study adopted a cross-sectional design, and both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A questionnaire with a five-point liket scale and observation check list were used to measure the extent of use of biosecurity practices and laboratory examination for worm burden. The results showed that cleaning biosecurity measures were most frequently practiced by chicken farmers for disease prevention (Composite Average Score (CAS) = 3.13). Farmers sometimes practiced isolation biosecurity measures (CAS = 2.88) and traffic control measures (CAS = 2.89). Cleaning biosecurity measures had a significant negative effect on annual chicken morbidities (β = - 0.298, p = 0.012) and annual chicken mortalities (β = - 0.246, p = 0.022). Farm land size had a significant positive effect (β = 0.562, p = 0.005) on annual chicken morbidities and mortalities. The present stock had a significant negative effect (β = - 0.540, p = 0.011) on monthly chicken mortalities. Isolation had a positive effect (OR = 0.173, p = 0.029) on worm prevalence. Monthly income (OR = 0.407, p = 0.047), land size (OR = 0.456, p = 0.009), and male sex (OR = 0.307, p = 0.006) had a positive effect on worm prevalence. In conclusion, socioeconomic and operational factors such as farmland size, gender, monthly income, and stock size are crucial in determining chicken morbidities and mortalities. It is recommended that farmers adhere to all biosecurity measures during their chicken farming operations to reduce infections and increase the birds’ productivity and profitability