Some farmers with high flock diversity have been selected as breeders and fertile-egg producers. To date, ten farmers have been chosen. They were selected in consultation with field extension staff from Mkwinda EPA. The process for Mitundu is currently ongoing. The farmers will have their birds individually tagged and evaluated at the breeding centres. There will be sharing of breed stock between the breeding centres and fellow farmers.
The organization of an open-nucleus breeding system for rural poultry is outlined in Figure 2. Production farmers will obtain superior breed stock from breeder farmers and from the breeding centres. Breeders will obtain top young evaluated cockerels from the breeding centres.
There will be cockerel exchange among breeding centres and breeder farmers, based on a six-month cycle, established to reduce the chances of inbreeding.
Farmers interested in having their birds tested must bring six-week-old cocks to the breeding centre, where they will be evaluated until they reach 20 weeks of age. Depending on the performance, the birds will be recommended for use in breeding or for consumption.