Asian Chicken Genetic Gains (AsCGG): A platform for exploring, testing and delivering improved chickens for Better lives through livestock enhanced livelihood outcomes in South East Asia (SEA) Hoa Hoang Hai1, Wondmeneh E.1 , Cuc N.T.K.2, Menghak P.3, Mulugeta Y.1 , Fasil G.1 , Sothyra T.3, Chhay T.4, Unger F.1, and Dessie T.1 . 1International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 2National Institute of Animal Sciences (NIAS), Vietnam, 3National Animal Health and Production Research Institute (NAHPRI), General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP), Cambodia and 4Livestock Development for Community Livelihood Organization (LDC), Cambodia International conference on Sustainable Animal Agricultural for Developing Countries (SAADC 2023) ILRI session: interdisciplinary approaches to support food safety, market access, genetic improvements, and climate change in livestock Vientiane, Lao PDR, 24 November 2023 Overview • Smallholder Chicken Production system in SEA: Opportunity • Asian Chicken Genetic Gains (AsCGG): Outcomes, Capacity Built and Innovation Enabled • AsCGG: Updates • Preliminary assessment Smallholder Chicken Production system in SEA Smallholder chicken production is part of the socio-cultural makeup and “balanced” farming system in South East Asia Characterized as: Low input-output system 1 Dominated by low-producing chicken genotypes Poultry is owned and managed by household women; 2 income from the sub-sector managed by women Lack of effective long-term genetic 3 improvement, multiplication and delivery systems 4 Opportunity–smallholder chicken production system in SEA High potential for women’s empowerment Income Chicken production Egg and Employment expanded by 56% in chicken meat the last decade, are often the growing from 5.9 highest value Nutrition mmt to 9.2 mmt in agricultural 2018, and is product expected to reach globally 12.3 mmt by 2028 Pathway out of poverty and High potential Low-input-output equitable for contributing to system but with high demand, income, and potential for improved improvement of dietary diversity at productivity across a household level and range of systems livelihoods globally AsCGG The three cardinal aims of project–Outcomes Capacity Built 1 Cross Regional & Global Scientific Collaboration 2 National Agricultural Research Institutes Private sector actors; 3 including smallholder farmers Farmer-preferred breeds of chickens High-producing poultry Innovation Platforms for genetics well-adapted to developing solutions low-input production Innovation Enabled across the value chain systems Women at the centre to ensure success Asian Chicken Genetic Gains (AsCGG): updates Cambodia Vietnam Poultry production, marketing and Poultry production, marketing consumption in Cambodia: A review and consumption in Vietnam: A of literature review of literature Guideline for setting up and Importation of four chicken management of Participatory strains; Sassoli Red, Tetra-H, Indigenous Chicken Breeding Tetra-Tint(Hungary), and Novegen Improvement Program (PICBIP) Tint completed produced On-farm and on-station experiments’ preliminary PICBIP started in Tram Kak, Takeo assessment till 19 weeks of age: province by June 2023: 3 Nucleus Capacity building national Demonstrate and build high hatching rate, high survival farms identified to participate in the agricultural research and the capacity of national rate, good adaptation, fast Skouy breed improving program. development system on partners to cryopreserve growth and good Feed Conversion smallholder poultry value Primordial Germ Cells PICBIP’s preliminary assessment til chain (PCGs) Ratio (FCR) …. 18 weeks of age by Nov. 2023 high National and Community level innovation platforms Evaluate the impact of foreign survival rate, fast growth and good established in Cambodia and Vietnam genetics on the diversity of FCR indigenous chicken populations in Vietnam AsCGG: Vietnam updates Complete selecting and successfully imported four foreign farmer-preferred chicken breed sources and in process to import egg to Vietnam Hatching result Egg in Egg Total Broken incubato without Total Egg with Type 1 Breed egg egg r embryo hatch DOC 1 DOC 2 embryo % Hatched % DOC % Tetra-H 4,320 2 4,318 470 3,238 2,556 682 89.07 74.95 59.17 Tetra-Tint 4,320 8 4,312 693 3,143 2,485 658 83.77 72.75 57.52 Sassoli Red 4,680 30 4,650 691 3,240 2,456 784 84.59 69.23 52.48 On-farm comparative testing (Vietnam) • 20 households/provinces including Hoa Binh, Quang Binh and Ha Nam • 5 households raising 50 imported chicken and 50 local chickens for comparison • 3 local chicken breeds for comparison: Mong, Lac Thuy and Lac Son • The chicken houses were well prepared before the chick arrived • The Chicks were distributed to the farmer on 8 weeks old On-farm comparative testing (Vietnam) • The chicks were monitored and are in the 19 weeks old • Both the local and imported chick are in good health condition with high survival rate On-station testing (Vietnam) • ILRI experts and NIAS team completed the experiment plan and experiment design for testing. There are 4 strain, 4 replication/ strain and 100 chicken/replication Station ( NIAS) Strain 1 Strain 2 Strain 3 Strain 4 25 birds per pen will be Pen1 Pen5 Pen9 Pen13 tagged; body weight followed Pen2 Pen6 Pen10 Pen14 Pen3 Pen7 Pen11 Pen15 Pen4 Pen8 Pen12 Pen16 AsCGG: Cambodia updates Participatory Indigenous Chicken Breeding Improvement Program (PICBIP) • Visit each Nucleus farmer’s house and meet the data collectors Observe preparations • Evaluate the status of preparation: Day-old chickens and cage preparation (Jul. 2023) • Discuss to understand and document their expectations from the PICBIP • Prior training on similar subjects and their level of knowledge The team handed over the balances to NFs for measurement of feed body weight egg weight Followed by explanation about the data collection formats and arrangement of the brooding units (Jul. 2023) Flock establishment: Reception of day-old chicken (Jul. 2023) Day old chicken tagging and individual body weight measurement Monitoring chicken placement Chicken at W12 Characterization of Skouy chicken in Takeo A journey to a genetic improvement of Skuoy Skuoy chickens are in safe hands: PIC- BIP team Preliminary assessment • Initial results achieved by AsCGG are very encouraging ✓Comprehensive review of poultry in Vietnam and Cambodia's literature. ✓Mobilized the engagement of Value Chain Actors ✓Experimental chicken flocks are well monitored in both station and small-scale farm conditions. ✓Positive traits observed till 19 weeks of age from PICBP, on-farm, and on-station comparative testing. • But a lot of work needs to be done to enhance regional livelihood outcomes and foster collaboration and knowledge exchange Partnership Thank you Arkoun Saum Khob chai Cảm ơn Publications: Poultry production, marketing and consumption in Vietnam: A review of literature https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115985 Poultry production, marketing and consumption in Cambodia: A review of literature https://hdl.handle.net/10568/116145 Published baseline report for Vietnam: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/130972 Published baseline report for Cambodia: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/132261