Investigating the effect of weather parameters on poultry production in urban environment of Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

The urban environments are known to be warmer and wetter and also characterised by a 'heat island'. Heat island in the low latitudes areas of the world is not always friendly to man and animal; it causes heat stress, which also causes man and animal great discomfort and also increased high mortality among the old people. This study therefore, in using the knowledge of agroclimatology, investigates the specific weather elements responsible for high mortality or low productivity of poultry birds. Also looked at, are the critical values at which these weather elements become very harmful to poultry birds e.g. fowls; and also to identify which of these considered poultry birds (Harco and Yaffa) may be well adaptable to the climatic conditions of Lagos metropolis. Results showed that the highest mortality of chickens occurred between the months of July and August. This increased mortality rate may not be unconnected with the prevailing hot and humid weather at these periods in the city; resulting in heat stress. Five continuous rainy days and relative humidity of 85% coupled with average maximum temperature of 30°c which was observed during this period, could have given rise to the mortality of the birds. The rainfall magnitude during these months was observed to be 282.2mm and 1666.6mm respectively.

The mortality rate of Harco and Yaffa were 60% and 4% respectively, whereas, the daily average rate of egg production for both Harco and Yaffa were 57 and 58.96 percent respectively. From the observed results, it could be said with high confidence that these two species of poultry birds are closely adaptable to the climatic environment, but yaffa seems to have better efficiency when one considers their rate of mortality and egg production. The month of May was observed from the study to be optimal month for poultry production in the area. it has an average maximum and minimum temperature of 32°c and 25°c respectively and relative humidity of 79% coupled with rainfall of 254.5mm.