EthioChicken, one of the biggest poultry producers in Ethiopia with five farms across the country, has launched the first dedicated poultry laboratory in the country. Located in Bole District around Bole Rwanda, the laboratory is equipped to detect five types of aviary diseases. The project was jointly funded by Zoetis, a global animal health company, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a non-profit organisation. Both combined spent up to 200,000 dollars for the training of professionals and awareness creation on the poultry industry, while construction of the laboratory took an estimated 50,000 dollars. The operationalisation of the laboratory is crucial in assessing the effectiveness of vaccinations. Prior to this, EthioChicken used to send samples to South Africa. The current poultry population of Ethiopia is estimated to be around 60 million, out of which 37.9pc are chicks and only 33.6pc are laying hens.
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