Introduction
Thanks to agricultural education, humans have mastered the art of domestication. In agriculture, five production factors are vital within the domestication process (Wiseman et al., 2021). Therefore, this study focuses on Cocrico, the red-tailed Chachalaca referred to as the Tobago Pheasant and is greatly revered for being in Trinidad and Tobago’s Coat of Arms (Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, 2022). In particular, to examine this game bird, this study utilizes the five factors of animal production; housing and environment, genetics and breeding, nutrition and feeding, health and disease, and socio-economic factors.
Housing and Environment
The small number of domestication efforts by farmers in Trinidad and Tobago and their rearing of other farm animals complicates the rearing of cocrico and the establishment of sufficient supportive evidence on the domestication of the bird. For instance, there is a necessity for nest boxes for the cocrihens to lay their eggs; the boxes are to be padded with soft materials such as dry hay to keep them insulated and warm for the hatched eggs and to keep them from contamination (Gebauer & Roy, 2018). On the other hand, the pens need sufficient ventilation to allow good clean airflow. The roofing is done by zinc sheeting to enable temperature regulation and to have the birds not undergo heat stress from unbearable pen temperatures.
In essence, the layout of the pen should have: a breeding house, an area for the incubation of the eggs, and, on the other hand, the growing unit for the cocrichicks growing into cocrihens upon which they are to be transferred to the cocripullet and laying unit for the monumental purpose of egg laying (Gebauer & Roy, 2018). There is to be a feeding and watering platform for the birds, and the most basic maintenance of the household is clearing the sawdust spread on the floor as a refresh with a fresh batch to keep the environment clean (Gebauer & Roy, 2018). A fascinating aspect of the cocricos is that they have been observed to be able to lay more eggs when there is more dampness in the nesting period, which increases the air moisture (Gebauer & Roy, 2018). The cocricos are housed in groups as they are sociable birds (Gebauer & Roy, 2018). Thus, understanding the home style of the bird is effective in allowing farmers to meet the housing standards of the birds
Genetics and Breeding
The Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Ecuadorian Chachalaca, grows to the length of between 56 and 66cm, with the full-grown bird weighing between 620-645g on average (Avendaño et al., 2018). The bird also has multi-colored feathers; its upper parts are olive brown, and its head is grey. Cocricos had a colorful naming history as, during the 19th century, it was called Cockricko by the Tobago planters and is currently identified as Tobagonians. Its scientific name is Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Avendaño et al., 2018). The male adult is called cocricock, the female is called cocrihens, and the young are identified as cocrichicks. Moreover, the cocrihens have a clutch of two to three eggs naturally, and other cocrihens have up to four eggs (Avendaño et al., 2018). The eggs are incubated by laying on the eggs, after which the eggs will hatch after 28 days. The above information sums up cocrico’s genetics and breeding.
Nutrition and Feeding
This section entails the types of feeds taken by the bird. Cocrico eats fruits, vegetables, seeds, commercial pellets, and broken maize fed to birds. Based on how it obtains its feeds, the bird feeders hold the food for the birds in the pens to which the cocricos feed through their beaks (Avendaño et al., 2018). Cocricos are also natural food foragers. Thus, they scratch and peck the ground with their short beaks to obtain food. Therefore, the bird can rely on its feeders for meals and on itself to obtain its meals.
Health and Disease
The cocricos as a bird are susceptible to some of the most pertinent health issues faced by highly domesticated birds, such as the guinea fowl in Trinidad and Tobago. Hence there is a need for immunization against various ailments, such as viral respiratory diseases like Newcastle disease (Avendaño et al., 2018). The presence of Newcastle disease can be determined by testing and multiple symptoms, such as the inconsistency in the bird’s droppings to be that of diarrhea. Depressive and nervous signs are also symptoms. The viral nature of the disease highlights its more significant challenge of management due to ease of spread through oral and dropping secretions, to which skipping vaccination makes birds vulnerable to overwhelmingly high mortality rates. Hence, proper vaccination and ensuring the cocricos are not exposed to various contact points, such as wild birds, are necessary management actions (Avian (Bird/Poultry) Diagnostic Solutions, 2022). The bird’s health status is vital to every keeper, as these signs must be met with enough medical measures.
Socio-economic Factors
Cocricos in Trinidad and Tobago are kept in zoos and animal sanctuaries to generate revenue, as they attract tourists since the bird is only found in the two regions. On the other hand, the rearing of cocricos is intended to acquire meat and eggs (Avendaño et al., 2018). Therefore, farmers can use the bird as their business resource, whereby they rear them for sale or trade its products.
Conclusion
The five factors of animal production are vital for assessing various agricultural commodities, and in this case, the cocrico bird. These birds are kept in warm and secure pens to enable them to hatch. Under breeding, the bird reproduces by laying eggs. Cocrico consumes fruits, vegetable seeds, and commercial pallets. The bird benefits the farmers as it can sell its products, such as meat and eggs.
References
Avendaño, J. E., Morales Rozo, A., Tejeiro M., N., Díaz Cárdenas, J., Amaya Burgos, J. J., Aponte, A. F., Gamboa, N., Esmeralda, Y., Salcedo Sarmiento, J., & Velásquez Suárez, Á. J. (2018). Birds of Universidad de los llanos (Villavicencio, Colombia): A rich community at the andean foothills-Savanna transition. Boletín Científico Centro de Museos Museo de Historia Natural, 22(2), 51-75. Web.
Avian (Bird/Poultry) Diagnostic Solutions. (2022). Avian (Bird/Poultry) Diagnostic Solutions. Thermofisher Scientific. Web.
Gebauer M., & Roy, C. (2018). Historic and Current Shorebird Hunting and Management Structure in Trinidad and Tobago. Gebauer & Associates Ltd. Web.
Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs. (2022). National Bird. Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Web.
Wiseman, M., Simphiwe, I., & Mnesi, J. (2021). Assessing the sustainability of agricultural projects towards improving rural livelihood in South Africa. African Journal of Development Studies (formerly AFFRIKA Journal of Politics, Economics and Society), Si (1), 35-55. Web.