The National Animal Production Research Institute at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has launched its 2025/2026 annual hatching exercise with a production target of 25,000 chicks, marking a significant jump from the 17,000 chicks recorded in the previous cycle.

The university's Director of Public Affairs, Auwalu Umar, revealed that the exercise commenced on March 31, with 3,000 grandparent stock chicks already produced at the time of the announcement.

Umar disclosed that the chicks consist of Shikabrown grandparent stock and broiler foundation stock, which are primarily intended as replacement stock for the institute's existing flock. He added that the programme is designed to support hatcheries across the country by supplying high quality parent stock layers and Shikabrown commercial pullet layers to both large scale and smallholder poultry farmers.

The projected output, Umar noted, reflects the institute's commitment to expanding productivity and meeting growing national demand for poultry stock.

During an inspection of the newly hatched chicks at the institute's poultry brooding unit in Shika, Zaria, the acting executive director, Muhammad Rabiu Hassan, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded. Hassan described the exercise as successful and on course to meet its set target.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Livestock Development, Mukhtar Maiha, and the Vice Chancellor of ABU, Adamu Ahmed, commending both for their support towards the programme's success.

The institute's expanded target underscores a broader effort to strengthen Nigeria's poultry value chain by ensuring that both commercial and smallholder farmers have access to quality breeding stock. The Shikabrown breed, developed at the institute, has remained a key offering in its annual production cycles, valued for its adaptability and productivity under local farming conditions.

With 3,000 chicks already hatched at the start of the exercise, the institute appears well positioned to surpass its previous output and achieve its 2025/2026 production goal before the cycle concludes.