ackyard poultry farming is an age old practice in rural India. It is a low cost enterprise which does not require much time and labour while ensuring high economic returns and nutritional security among rural poor. But, indigenous birds which are reared by the rural households are less productive.
However, the Poultry Research Station (PRS) of Sri P.V. Narasimha Rao Telangana State University for Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences, (SPVNRTSUVAS), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, has developed a promising backyard poultry variety, Rajasri' for the rural farming community.
The new variety is quite suitable for backyard poultry farming as it is hardy, attractive with multi-coloured plumage, capable of self propagation, have good body conformation with capacity to escape from predators, a good scavenger and less susceptible to diseases, says M. Gnana Prakash, Professor, Department of Animal Genetics, College of Veterinary Science, SPVNRTSUVAS.
The bird would produce nearly 150 eggs a year, attain a body weight of about 1.5 kg by 18 weeks of age, and start laying eggs in 5-6 months, Dr. Gnana Prakash, who is also the officer in charge of the PRS, adds.
Marketing of the variety would be rosy with the concept of organic farming. These birds are reared mostly in rural backyards where there is no stress to the birds, no much medication and these are reared in natural pollution free environs of rural settings. Moreover, their multi coloured plumage, resemble to desi birds, which fetch almost double the price when compared to broiler chicken. Eggs being brown shelled will also fetch more price when compared to commercial white shelled eggs, he says.
Rajasri chicks can be produced by the farmer on his own. For this, the farmer has to maintain male and female birds to allow fertilisation. The fertile eggs produced by the hens can be put to native hen for incubation. Each hen will incubate 10-15 eggs and hatch 12-13 chicks.
Alternatively, the chicks can be procured from the Station, which produces the chicks on a large scale by using machine incubation.
Generally, elaborate housing is not required for backyard poultry farming. If they are grown on commercial scale under intensive system, then a conventional shed constructed with locally available material will do.
Feeding charges alone constitute 70 per cent of total expenditure in poultry production. But in backyard poultry, the feed cost is considered to be minimum as birds are grown on scavenging and they thrive on insects, leftover grains, and household wastes. However, if more number of birds are grown, scavenging will not be sufficient and things like broken rice, ground nut straw, wheat grain, and rice bran need to be given. If the rearing turns out to be on commercial lines, balanced ration may be formulated with locally available feed ingredients or commercial feed may be procured.
Though ‘Rajasri’ birds are less susceptible to diseases by virtue of having desi fowl inheritance, it is recommended to follow routine vaccination against the common viral diseases. Besides, periodical de-worming needs to be done to ward off parasitic infections.
A farmer can earn an average additional income of Rs.4,200 annually from a backyard small scale poultry unit of 20 birds. Whereas, if it is done on a commercial scale, , a farmer can earn nearly Rs. 7,500 a month with a unit of 1,000 birds. Even this activity does not demand full time of the farmer and it can be managed with the help of family members or even school going children, Dr. Gnana Prakash says.
For more details readers can contact Prof. M. Gnana Prakash, Officer Incharge (Mobile:9100956360) or Dr. D. Krishna, Farm Manager (Mobile: 9440956010).
wymnj@thehindu.co.in
