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Bulawayo Bureau

AGRIBUSINESS firm, Hamara Group, has introduced a new drought and disease resistant “Sasso bird” that they say would improve poultry output in Zimbabwe when fully implemented.

Group head of marketing and public relations, Mr Clarence Mutangara, said the new Hamara Sasso bird was a dual-purpose bird that gives the farmer both meat and egg production. It is a “harder” type of bird similar to “road runners”, popularly known as “nkukhu makhaya” that is resistant to drought and disease, he said.

“The Sasso bird is a hardier type that can be likened to “nkukhu makhaya” except that it produces meat slightly slower than a broiler, and eggs slightly less than a layer. But it is commercially viable in a similar time frame,” said Mr Mutangara.

“This bird has an advantage because you can get chicken with a flavor that is preferred like “nkukhu makhaya” being grown in almost the same time like a broiler, using less feed because the Sasso bird is able to free-range easily. I think it’s going to turn the Zimbabwe poultry industry upside down because it’s what Zimbabwe needs for now.”

According to Hamara group, the new Sasso breed was a more versatile product for Zimbabwe today. He said their organisation has already started selling day-old chicks of the new breed as well as live birds to farmers.

“I think it’s going to grow in popularity as it has in Ethiopia where it’s the most prolific bird breed. The Zimbabwean Sasso, our Sasso or the Hamara Sasso is relatively new but it’s also going to grow in popularity,” said Mr Mutangara.

The introduction of the Sasso bird is expected to entice poultry farmers who have been struggling to buy feed for their birds due to high pricing.