CapSU supports WESVARRDEC’s Darag chicken production program

By Nino Manaog

University Extension Associate

Capiz State University

Photos by Bede Ozaraga and Kimar Gargarita

Bede Ozaraga Photo

In the inception meeting held recently at the Residence Hotel in Iloilo City led by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) on the Development of Sustainable Production System for the Darag Native Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) in Western Visayas, the Capiz State University (CapSU) counted among four state colleges and universities (SUCs) in the region tasked to undertake the said pioneering project.

Under the auspices of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) channeled through WESVARRDEC, CapSU will make use of its R&D personnel along with those of the West Visayas State University (WVSU), Central Philippine University (CPU) and Aklan State University (ASU).

A collaborative effort of said four SUCs, the SUCs will undertake their respective components of the program. WVSU is tasked to develop a native chicken breeding and hatchery management system that would ensure stable supply of both breeder and slaughter native chickens of predictable performance and consistent quality in commercial quantities. CPU will develop and establish a feed production and distribution system for free-range native chickens while ASU will establish the production of Newcastle Disease vaccine and the distribution systems for the same purpose.

Of the five components identified, CapSU will contribute for two projects. For its part, CapSU will produce and distribute a stable supply of ethno-botanical antihelmintics and develop a range area (pasture) enhancement protocol for the darag native chickens, which will be based at the College of Veterinary Medicine of CapSU Dumarao in Codingle, Dumarao, Capiz.

Bede Ozaraga Photo

According to Dr. Bede Ozaraga, project leader and campus administrator of CapSU Dumarao, CapSU will take charge of the third component, or the production and distribution of ethno-botanical antihelmintics for free range native chicken.

Ozaraga acknowledged the prevalence of internal parasitism in native chicken and the present high cost of commercial veterinary antihelmintics for poultry. Most important, Ozaraga also declare their unavailability at the barangay-level which reduces the potentials of native chicken in Western Visayas.

According to Ozaraga, because the control relying entirely on commercial dewormers is threatened by the widespread occurrence of drug resistance, such circumstances require every possible effort to use ethno-botanicals available in the locality.

In particular, using ethno-botanicals sourced from ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and bunga ((Areca catechu)—can reduce the parasitic burden to tolerable level because “these plants contain potential constituents as cheap sources of antihelmintics that complement the commercially manufactured parasitic drugs against internal parasitism.”

CapSU President Editha Magalanes (second from right), WVSU President
Pablo Subong, Jr. (third from right) and WESVARRDEC Director
Joseph Edward Idemne  (far right) are joined by Dr. Bede Ozaraga,
Prof. Ma. Sylvia Ozaraga and Dr. Evelyn Tomambo (from left),
darag production program project leaders after
the MOA signing at WVSU.

The component led by Mrs. Sylvia Inting Ozaraga, project leader for the fifth project, or the establishment of range enhancement and free range management protocol for darag breeder chickens, hardened chicks and slaughter native chickens, will require a number of activities.

First, CapSU will determine the influence of the herbage yield and botanical composition of pasture on the growth and reproductive performance of free range native chicken; and determine optimum stocking rates for the chickens. Then, it will establish and develop a ranging yard which will produce native chickens of predictable production performance and consistent quality. Likewise, CapSU will develop free-range native chicken production modules suited to small-farm conditions in rural areas.

Copy of the Memorandum of Agreement
signed by CapSU, ASU, WVSU and
CPU, WESVARRDEC and PCARRD

In the same meeting led by PCARRD and WESVARRDEC, Dr. Synan Baguio, supervising science research specialist and Dr. Edwin Villar, livestock research division director, both of PCARRD presented to the SUC representatives the terms and conditions of the funded project and the responsibilities of the collaborating agencies. The PCARRD officials likewise briefed the SUCs on the schedule of monitoring and evaluation and the delivery of outputs from the project.

Promoted by WESVARRDEC Director Joseph Edward Idemne, the program is supported by ASU President Danilo Abayon, CPU President Teodoro Robles, WVSU President Pablo Subong, Jr., and CapSU President Editha Magallanes.