Judith Phiri, Chronicle Reporter
FARMERS continue to record success in their poultry production through some of the best products and easy- to-grow chick breeds being offered by Hamara Group Zimbabwe.

Hamara’s newly-introduced chick breeds, which have been on the market for the past one-and-a-half year, include Sasso C431 brown broiler, Sussex dual purpose and Sasso T-Rainbow dual purpose.

A farmer from Gondeni Village in Ntabazinduna, Ms Simangele Mashonganyika who is one of the contract farmers with Hamara said that her egg production has greatly increased as she is currently picking about 21 eggs per day.

“My hens began laying in March. At first, I would pick seven to eight eggs per day, but as of today I now pick about 21 eggs and only four hens are not laying as yet,” said Ms Mashonganyika.

She encouraged other farmers to consider these three new types of breeds and to venture into poultry farming as a means of subsistence.

Ms Mashonganyika highlighted that she has since become a very productive farmer owing to Hamara chicks which are easy to manage.

She added: “I no longer have idle time as I used to in the past, I am now always busy with my birds and I only leave my yard when going to the fields to check on my crops.”

Ms Mashonganyika said that she sells the eggs for her general upkeep as before she could not afford basic necessities. She added that she was now financially independent and could now afford to buy groceries without having to borrow money from neighbours.

She also said she intends to expand her fowl run from the egg sales.

“I urge all Ntabazinduna residents to take up poultry farming for self-sufficiency and do away with the dependency syndrome which is for lazy people,” added Ms Mashonganyika.

Hamara head of marketing and public relations, Mr Clarence Mutangara, said for the Sasso programme, they were giving farmers chicks, which they feed and sold back to Hamara as a point of lay.

He said most of their Sasso C431 brown broilers were hybrid birds suited for commercial meat production. Both males and females could achieve 2,2kg to 2,5kg in just seven to eight weeks and after 13 weeks the males could hit a weight of up to 4,8kg and the females could grow up to 3,6kg.

Mr Mutangara noted that the Sussex dual-purpose were hybrid birds that are best suited for serious egg production and casual eat production with the females laying up to 290 eggs per year, per bird. The males could be slaughter-ready at 2,2kg in 12 weeks.

He also said the Sasso T-Rainbow were dual-purpose hybrid birds that are suited for both egg and meat production. The layers could lay up to 260 eggs per year and the males grew fast and could be slaughtered at 2,2kg to 2,5kg in nine to 10 weeks when well fed.

Mr Mutangara also highlighted that their company was running several programmes, which have recorded success among participating farmers.

“We are currently having Sasso contract farming with farmers in Kezi and Ntabazinduna. We also have community arrangements where we supply Sasso chicks and provide farmers with the markets in areas such as Ndolwane.

“The Sasso mother unit (Brooder) programme where farmers grow chicks from day-old to four weeks and then sell them. Other farmers buy at four weeks and then sell at eight weeks or keep them for layers. We have witnessed great success among farmers throughout the country,” said Mr Mutangara.

Hamara Foods also offers starter, grower and finisher feeds for chick production. The business is located in Umguza with a division focused on broiler and layer day-old chick production, as well as producing point of lay birds.

Hamara runs the only breeder farm in Matabeleland, which is one of the few in Zimbabwe.