SCOPE FOR RESEARCH ON IMPROVED INDIGENOUS VARIETIES OF CHICKEN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
B.S. Ramappa, G.R. Lokanath and P. Nallappa, Retd. Professor and Head, Department of Poultry Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, No. 356, Rama Nilaya, HMT Layout, Anand Nagar, Bangalore, 560 024, India.
Abstract
The scope of improved indigenous birds with blendage of exotic germplasm for rural people is discussed. Breeding programs performances under scavenging condition for meat and egg production are highlighted.
Keywords: improved ingredients, germplasm, scavenging, meat and egg production
Introduction
In the wake of the nightmarish experience felt in India during 1999 particularly and also in other developed countries with respect to overproduction of broilers without much marketing, it can be pertinently pointed out that improved indigenous birds have their own advantages. The reasons are captivating the minds of the villagers due to their camouflaging plumage patterns similar to indigenous varieties, easy adaptability to varied climatic conditions, low cost maintenance after initial brooding and reasonably good performance in production.
Materials and Methods
Initial attempts were made as early as 1975 at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India to produce a synthetic colored broiler variety of exotic origin (without indigenous germplasm) by involving a red colored cornish line of male with female line of reciprocal crosses (colored segregates) of White Rocks (carriers) and New Hampshire breeds. There were vastly superior in terms of both meat and egg production compared to indigenous birds. A second line of development was undertaken at the above-mentioned locality in 1985. The main objectives were to decrease body size and improve egg production under scavenging condition with negligible maintenance cost so as to have a variety vastly superior to the indigenous varieties. A cross breeding program was undertaken involving pure indigenous males and females of the colored synthetic variety mentioned before (mentioning the level of indigenous germplasm at 6.25% by fourth generation). The population thus produced was subdivided in to specialised male and female lines for growth and egg production in 1990-91. These two sub populations besides having autosomal incompletely dominant gene for naked neck for robustness and field adaptability) also possessed autosomal and sex linked genes for diversified plumage colors.
Results and Discussion
A field survey in and around Karnataka and adjoining states in India revealed two to three fold improvement in early body weight and more than four times higher yield in egg production, besides adaptability under scavenging conditions. A field survey of voluntary organizations (MYRADA, PIDO, PASA, etc.) revealed body weight of 1.2 to 1.2 kg at 8 weeks, F.C.R. of 2.4 and survivability of over 95% under free range conditions of management. The birds matured at the age of 24 to 25 weeks and attained an annual production of 140 to 150 eggs under scavenging conditions. Egg size (55g) fertility and hatchability were over 90 %. These results were far superior to those of indigenous varieties.
References
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