An analysis of the impact of Newcastle disease vaccination and husbandry practice on smallholder chicken productivity in Uganda

A number of studies have demonstrated the clear beneficial impact that vaccinating against Newcastle disease (ND) can have on reducing the frequency and severity of ND outbreaks. Here we go one step further and analyse the additional benefits in terms of improved production that result from vaccination. Data were collected from a cross sectional survey in Uganda of 593 chicken-rearing smallholders (for the purpose of this study this was defined as a farm with fewer than 75 chickens). Consenting participants were administered a detailed questionnaire covering a range of aspects of chicken production and management. These data were subsequently analysed in a generalised linear model framework with negative binomial error structure and the total offtake over the previous 12 months (chicken sales + chicken consumption + chickens gifted) was included as the dependent variable. Different measures of flock size were tested as independent variables and the model was also offered the district of the flock, ND vaccine adoption, use of poultry housing, provision of supplementary feed and use of dewormers as potential independent variables. We also developed an analogous model for the offtake of eggs (sale and consumption). The total size of the flock (counting chickens of all ages) was the measure of flock size that had the strongest association with offtake and was a significant but weak effect with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 1.011 (95 % Confidence intervals (CIs) = 1.007–1.015). ND vaccine adoption had a strong significant positive effect on offtake with an IRR of 1.571 (95 % CIs = 1.363–1.808). Use of a poultry house also had a significant effect (IRR = 1.365, 95 % CIs = 1.193–1.560). In the model of egg production, the number of hens was the demographic determinant with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) (IRR = 1.094, 95 % CIs = 1.056–1.136) and ND vaccine adoption had a strong positive effect on egg offtake (IRR = 1.801, 95 % CIs = 1.343–2.412). Vaccinating against ND has a clear beneficial impact on the productivity of the flock, and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.