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Introduction
According to Hamilton (2002) the consumption of animal protein worldwide is expected to increase by 60%, and production and consumption of poultry in particular is consistently increasing in the world. Moreover, Costa (2009) reported that consumer demands for chicken meat have been growing steadily over the last few decades. FAO (2011) reported that the human population benefits greatly from poultry meat and eggs. Moreover, poultry meat and egg production is the most environmentally efficient animal protein production system (Van der Sluis, 2007).
One of the reasons for the industrialisation of chicken production in developed countries is the use of concentrated feeds (Gura, 2008). However, Branckaert et al. (2000) reported that this development is constrained in developing countries, which are not self-sufficient in cereal production. Various scholars have reported that chicken productivity in most African countries, including Ethiopia, is poor. Poultry producers in Ethiopia complain about the high cost and quality of poultry feeds on the market. Thus, issues with feed are the main limiting factors contributing to the reduced productivity of birds seen in this country.
With the increased production of animal proteins, there is also an increased demand for feed, particularly for ingredients that are high in protein and energy. Protein and energy feeds contribute more than 90% of all of the required nutrients for poultry rations. However, these major poultry ingredients have been facing market competition with human food demands in Ethiopia. Similarly, Gura (2008) reported that the competition between food, feed, and agro-fuels is expected to only further increase the prices of poultry feeds, forcing poultry producers to look for alternative and locally available feed sources.
Ethiopia has many types of feed resources which can be used as ingredients in feeds to substitute/replace the conventional ingredients used in the diets of chickens. However, stakeholders of chicken production in Ethiopia have limited access to information that enables them to utilize alternative feed resources. Of these, food safety is the most important concern regarding the recycling of animal protein meals back through animals as feed ingredients (Clarke, 2010). Therefore, reviewing the available feed resources and chicken production situation in the country is milestone to improving chicken production in Ethiopia. Additionally, reviewing the results seen using non-conventional feedstuffs...