The National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has commenced its 2025/2026 annual hatching exercise, targeting about 25,000 chicks.

Auwalu Umar, the university’s director of public affairs, disclosed this in a statement.

He said the exercise began successfully on March 31, with more than 3,000 grandparent stock chicks already produced.

According to him, the chicks comprise Shikabrown grandparent stock and broiler foundation stock, primarily intended as replacement stock for the institute’s existing flock.

Mr Umar noted that the projected output marks a large increase from the 17,000 chicks produced in the previous cycle, reflecting the institute’s commitment to expanding productivity and meeting growing national demand.

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.

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 so far.

He described the exercise as successful and on track to meet its target.

Mr Hassan also commended the livestock development minister Mukhtar Maiha, and the vice-chancellor of ABU, Adamu Ahmed, for their support toward the programme’s success.

(NAN)