Livestock Research Programme – Labu & Tambul
The NARI Livestock Programme is a national programme currently operating out of Labu and Tambul in the Morobe and Western Highlands provinces respectively. It is expected to expand to other agro-ecological zones of the country where other NARI Programmes are located for research and assisting livestock farmers in those regions. The main focus of research in the short-to-medium-term is on the utilisation of local feeds and by-products, small livestock (pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep, goats) and collection of baseline information on livestock kept by smallholder farmers. Recently, the programme started work on Inland Aquaculture and is setting up essential facilities for research on feeds, feeding systems and breeding.
Livestock plays an important role in the lives of rural people and research should be aimed at developing the industry to achieve the National Government’s goals of self-sufficiency and food security. Expansion of smallholder livestock production has the potential to impact on the diets and incomes of rural and peri-urban households.
Intensification of production is considered to be a key to greater efficiency and the integration of livestock with traditional garden systems and tree crops such as coconut, cocoa, oil palm, coffee and agro-forestry is seen as a means to improve sustainability and output. There is growing interest in livestock with farmers willing to invest but they lack access to breeding animals, basic information on husbandry, training and extension support and market information. There are some key problems that must be addressed, not just in research but also in development and extension, to increase output or reduce cost of production at the smallholder level.
Broad Research Areas
After a wide consultation with stakeholders, the following broad research priority areas have been identified for the short to medium term. On-going consultations with farmers and extension agencies are an integral component of all research projects. The livestock programme is actively producing and disseminating technical information through various media and workshops, including a series of NARI Toktoks on relevant topics and publicity articles in the Mass Media.
Poultry meat and eggs for household consumption and sale
Current research is addressing the very high cost of formulated rations for intensive and semi-intensive broiler and egg production by smallholder farmers who either supply broilers to commercial companies or sell at village markets. Demand for poultry meat and eggs is high and growing. The main strategies are to enable smallholder farmers use local feed resources as substitutes to imported ingredients so as to reduce the cost of rations and reduce use of commercial feeds. Other interventions include improvement in the management of other householder poultry including free range chickens and Muscovy ducks, and overcoming the problem of producing or obtaining replacement chicks of commercial broiler chicken, village chicken and Muscovy ducks.
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Broiler chickens
Information is being gathered on the location, quantity, quality and availability of local feedstuffs and by-products; development of less intensive feeding systems for broiler chickens; assessment of chick requirements in these systems; formulation of rations using a maximum of local feeds; and assessment of the flexibility to use feeds that are available only during certain times of the year.
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Subsistence poultry
Main research areas involve the assessment of husbandry methods to improve hatching and feeding and reducing chick or duckling mortality. Research is addressing the supply of suitable day-old chicks or ducklings. Strategies include the development of local incubation without main electricity supply and assessment of the broodiness of available birds. New strains or breeds may be imported and assessed if necessary for commercial operations. .
Improving small-scale pig production
Optimal management and feeding systems are being developed to address the problem of producing pigs for both household consumption as well as sales. Pigs are the most popular livestock in PNG and have important roles in food security and socio-cultural functions. There is a substantial market-oriented smallholder pig growing operation in urban and peri-urban areas that serve urban as well as non-urban markets. The priority research areas include the assessment of the suitability and availability of local feedstuffs for appropriate diets, assessment of suitability of breed types, and development of management systems to reduce mortality and improve reproduction.
Rabbit feeding and management
Research is being conducted to develop least-cost feeding and raising systems to produce rabbit meat for household use and income generation. Research activities include the determination of optimal feeding systems in each location using local feed resources and assessing and alleviating the causes of juvenile mortality and poor reproduction.
Improving sheep and goat production
Goat and sheep production is a relatively small but fast growing activity in the country. Current research emphasis is on the collection of baseline information on goats and sheep numbers, their levels of production and farmer attitudes to sheep and goat farming and utilisation. This information will lead to the development of strategies to improve the production of sheep and goats nationally, but especially in the highlands, for improved diets and income through breeding, improved nutrition and better health. Research work on animal health includes obtaining information on health problems (internal parasites and foot rot) and providing integrated control measures. Research for improved nutrition focuses on the introduction and evaluation of new pasture and fodder cultivars and testing of feeding and management systems such as grazing under tree crops or cut and carry systems
Inland Aquaculture
Inland fisheries is emerging as an important area of economic activity for smallholder farmers inhabiting areas far off the coastline. There are numerous inland water bodies where viable smallholder and commercial fisheries can be promoted using mainly tilapia, trout, carp and baramundi. These can be a source of income, food, employment and a means of farm integration. The priority areas of research in this field are feeds and feeding systems, production and supply of fingerlings and breeding. Apart from developing its research facilities at Labu, the programme is seeking collaboration in developing available facilities in the country with other development, academic and research institutions.
Other Research Areas
Other important areas requiring research in the near future include development of a national strategy for the management of animal genetic resources, testing of integrated farming of livestock and crops, including commercial plantations of oil palm, coconut, cocoa and coffee, selected strategic areas of research to promote participation of smallholder farmers in major livestock markets with the support of the private commercial sector. These are at various stages of development.
For further information, Contact
Dr. Workneh Ayalew
NARI Livestock Programme
P.O Box 1639, LAE 411
Morobe Province
Papua New Guinea
Phone: (675) 475 1066
Fax: (675) 475 1248
Email:
workneh.ayalew@nari.org.pg or
narils@nari.org.pg