Identification of production challenges and benefits using value chain mapping of egg food systems in Nairobi, Kenya

Commercial layer and indigenous chicken farming in Nairobi and associated activities in the egg value chains are a source of livelihood for urban families. A value chain mapping framework was used to describe types of inputs and outputs from chicken farms, challenges faced by producers and their disease control strategies. Commercial layer farms were defined as farms keeping exotic breeds of chicken, whereas indigenous chicken farms kept different cross breeds of indigenous chicken. Four focus group discussions were held with producers of these chickens in peri-urban area: Dagoretti, and one informal settlement: Kibera. Qualitative data were collected on interactions between farmers, sources of farm inputs and buyers of poultry products, simple ranking of production challenges, farmers' perception on diseases affecting chicken and strategies for management of sick chicken and waste products. Value chain profiles were drawn showing sources of inputs and channels for distribution of chicken products. Production challenges and chicken disease management strategies were presented as qualitative summaries. Commercial layer farms in Dagoretti kept an average of 250 chickens (range 50–500); while flock sizes in Kibera were 12 chickens (range 5–20). Farms keeping indigenous chicken had an average of 23 chickens (range 8–40) in Dagoretti, and 10 chickens (range 5–16) in Kibera. Commercial layer farms in Dagoretti obtained chicks from distributors of commercial hatcheries, but farms in Kibera obtained chicks from hawkers who in turn sourced them from distributors of commercial hatcheries. Indigenous chicken farms from Dagoretti relied on natural hatching of fertilised eggs, but indigenous chicken farms in Kibera obtained chicks from their social connection with communities living in rural areas. Outlets for eggs from commercial layer farms included local shops, brokers, restaurants and hawkers, while eggs from indigenous chicken farms were sold to neighbours and restaurants. Sieved chicken manure from Dagoretti area was fed to dairy cattle; whereas non-sieved manure was used as fertilizer on crops. Production challenges included poor feed quality, lack of space for expansion, insecurity, occurrence of diseases and lack of sources of information on chicken management. In Kibera, sick and dead chickens were slaughtered and consumed by households; this practice was not reported in Dagoretti. The chicken layer systems contribute to food security of urban households, yet they have vulnerabilities and deficiencies with regard to disease management and food safety that need to be addressed with support on research and extension

The power of two: Assessing the impact of a second measurement of the weak-charge form factor of 208Pb

[Background] Besides its intrinsic value as a fundamental nuclear-structure observable, the weak-charge density of 208Pb - a quantity that is closely related to its neutron distribution - is of fundamental importance in constraining the equation of state of neutron-rich matter. [Purpose] To assess the impact that a second electroweak measurement of the weak-charge form factor of 208Pb may have on the determination of its overall weak-charge density. [Methods] Using the two putative experimental values of the form factor, together with a simple implementation of Bayes' theorem, we calibrate a theoretically sound - yet surprisingly little known - symmetrized Fermi function, that is characterized by a density and form factor that are both known exactly in closed form. [Results] Using the charge form factor of 208Pb as a proxy for its weak-charge form factor, we demonstrate that using only two experimental points to calibrate the symmetrized Fermi function is sufficient to accurately reproduce the experimental charge form factor over a significant range of momentum transfers. [Conclusions] It is demonstrated that a second measurement of the weak-charge form factor of 208Pb supplemented by a robust theoretical input in the form of the symmetrized Fermi function, would place significant constraints on the neutron distribution of 208Pb and, ultimately, on the equation of state of neutron-rich matter.Comment: 14 pages, 3 tables, and 6 figure

Designing Verbal Message And Visual Media Of Quick Chicken

Quick Chicken currently exists on more than 8 islands, more than 17 provinces, more than 220 outlets. Compared to similar fried chicken outlets, Quick Chicken outlet designs are more attractive because they use the concept of selling in containers. The advantages of Quick Chicken are offering a menu that is a combination of traditional and western, in addition, Quick Chicken also offers larger pieces of chicken than its competitors, namely Hisana and Sabana. Currently Quick Chicken is experiencing a decline in sales. This happens because the promotion done has not been able to make the target audience aware and loyal. The question research is how to design verbal message and visual media as the solustion for the problem above. Semantics is used to define the verbal message, while advertising theory is used as the the grand theory of visual media. The methode used is qualitative descriptif. The result is as the recommendation design of the verbal message and visual media as the solution for the problem using AISAS. The conclusion is with the design of Quick Chicken promotion, it is hoped that being able to be a solution to identified problems, and it can also be a reference for similar problems as well. Key Words: Semantics, verbal message, Visual Media, Quick Chicke

Synthesis of IFN-β by Virus-Infected Chicken Embryo Cells Demonstrated with Specific Antisera and a New Bioassay

Transcripts of interferon-α(IFN-α) and IFN-β genes are present in virus-infected chicken cells, but because of a lack of appropriate assays and reagents, it was unclear if biologically active IFN-β is secreted. We have established a nonviral bioassay for the sensitive detection of chicken IFN (ChIFN). This assay is based on a quail cell line that carries a luciferase gene that is controlled by the IFN-responsive chicken Mx promoter. Luciferase activity was strongly stimulated when the indicator cells were incubated with ChIFN-α, ChIFN-β, or ChIFN-γ but not with chicken interleukin-1β (ChIL-1β). Unlike the classic antiviral assay that preferentially detects ChIFN-α, the Mx-luciferase assay detected ChIFN-α and ChIFN-β with similar sensitivity. With the help of this novel assay and with rabbit antisera specific for either IFN-α or IFN-β, we analyzed the composition of IFN in supernatants of virus-infected chicken embryo cells. Virtually all IFN produced in response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was IFN-α. However, IFN produced in response to influenza A or vaccinia virus (VV) was a mixture of usually more than 80% IFN-α and up to 20% IFN-β. Thus, IFN-α and IFN-β both contribute to the cytokine activity in supernatants of virus-infected chicken cells. Furthermore, the infecting virus appears to determine the IFN subtype composition

Patterns and determinants of urban chicken consumption in Haiti and Cameroon: similar contexts, differentiated prospects

Since the beginning of 2000s, in order to let poor people accede to meat consumption, several African and Caribbean countries have opened their domestic chicken market to foreign imports, by reducing import tariffs. Thus imported frozen pieces of chicken from the European Union or America compete with local chicken meat, causing the collapse of many poultry husbandry and the loss of many jobs in the local chicken food chain. In order to highlight the determinants of urban consumer’s choice relative to chicken types, and assess the opportunity for local chicken to restore its market share, investigations have been done in 2005 in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and in 2006 in Port-au-Prince (Haiti) applied to 180 urban households in each country. While imported frozen pieces of chicken have almost entirely substituted for the local chicken which has already quite disappeared in Port-au-Prince, Yaoundé consumers still prefer the local flesh chicken to the imported ones, at least for particular uses.chicken, urban consumption, developing countries, globalization, Cameroon, Haiti

Evolution of urban chicken consumption in Southern countries: a comparison between Haiti and Cameroon

Since the beginning of 2000s, in order to let poor people accede to meat consumption, several developing countries have opened their domestic chicken market to foreign imports, by reducing import tariffs. Thus local chicken meat competes with frozen pieces of chicken imported from the European Union or America, causing the loss of many jobs in the local chicken food chain. In order to highlight the determinants of urban consumer’s choice relative to chicken types, and assess the opportunity for local chicken to restore its market share, investigations have been done in 2005 and 2006, in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and at Port-au-Prince (Haiti) applied to 180 urban households in each country. While imported frozen pieces of chicken have almost entirely substituted for the local chicken which has already quite disappeared in Portau- Prince, Yaoundé consumers still prefer the local flesh chicken to the imported ones, at least for particular uses.Chicken, urban consumption, developing countries, globalisation, Cameroon, Haiti., Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,