Rural Backyard Poultry: A viable option for income generation

 

Dr. Ramakrishna Roy

Subject Matter Specialist (Animal Science)

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region) Bypass Road, Sohanipatti, Buxar-802101, Bihar

 

https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/backyard-poultry-farming-pills-to-increase-farmers-income-in-rural-household/#:~:text=Besides%20income%20generation%20and%20poverty,total%20egg%20production%20in%20India.

India has billion mouths to feed. One-fourth of the population does not have access to the basic essential commodities- food, clothes and shelter. About 60 % of rural population is unemployed/ seasonally employed. Most of the rural poor are small and marginal farmers and landless labour. Backyard poultry produce eggs and meat at an insignificant cost barely 20-30 % compared to modern intensive system. About 70% of the cost involved in intensive system is on feed. Since backyard poultry scavenge on vegetable garden and kitchen wastes hence cost incurred on feeding is less. Elaborate housing structure is also not required for them. Backyard poultry is recognized as stepping stone for the poorest households enabling them to take the first step towards breaking out of the vicious circle of poverty and deprivation. The eggs/ meat produced can be consumed by the household, thereby providing a cheap and available source of quality animal protein.   While eighty percent of the birds in China comprise rural poultry producing 100-120 eggs annually only thirty percent of the eggs in India are produced by rural poultry. Hence, there is ample scope for increase in rural backyard poultry.

 

The desi birds are broody in nature and produce 70-80 eggs a year. They can defend themselves from predators due to alertness, light body weight, longer shank length and aggressiveness. Natural selection has made them better disease resistance; thrive well under adverse circumstances of poor housing, management and feeding. The meat has higher content of arginine and lysine and certain minerals such as iron. The eggs are rich in threonine and valine. The desi eggs and meat have superior organoleptic attributes. More physical activity results in reduced abdominal fat and improved breast muscle. Chicken has its origin in India; there are a large number of Indian breeds reared in the villages as desi. Some of them are recognized breeds such as Aseel, Kadaknath, frizzle, naked neck, Haringhata black, Nicobari, and Kashmir fevorellla. The American class famous for dual purpose have the blood of Aseel. The Aseel, famous for fighting ability is available in various plumages, peela (golden red), Yarkin (black and red), Nurie (white), Kagar (black), Chitta (black and white silver), Teekar (brown) and Reza (light red)

They have been used for development of varieties suitable for rural backyard poultry/ varied agro-climatic condition. The production parameters of these native breeds are described below:

Table 1: Prominent native breeds of India and their production

Breed	Body weight (20 wks)	Age at sexual maturity (days)	Annual     egg production( nos.)	Egg wt. at 40wks age, g.	Fertility	Hatch ability (%), FES*	Speciality
Aseel	1220	196	92	50	66	63	Fighting quality
Frizzle	1005	185	110	53	61	71	Heat dissipation
Kadaknath	920	180	105	53	55	52	Melanin pigment, Fe content
Naked Neck	1005	201	99	54	60	71	Tropical climate

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312595055_BACK_YARD_POULTRY_FARMING_AS_A_SOURCE_OF_LIVELIHOOD_IN_TRIBAL_VILLAGE_AN_ECONOMIC_APPRAISAL

*FES= Fertile eggs set.

The native breeds found in various regions of the country are:

 

Breed	Region	Breed	Region
Aseel	Andhra        Pradesh        and Madhya Pradesh	Kadaknath	Madhya Pradesh
Ankleshwar	Gujarat	Kalahasti	Andhra Pradesh
Busra	Gujarat	Kashmir Fevorella	Jammu                 and Kashmir
Chittagong	Meghalaya and Tripura	Miri	Assam
Danki	Andhra Pradesh	Nicobari	Andaman             and Nicobar
Daothigir	Assam	Punjab Brown	Punjab
Ghaghus	Andhra        Pradesh        and Karnataka	Tellichery	Kerala
Haringhata Black	West Bengal

 

Hence the researchers felt the need to develop birds that have all the benefits of desi birds like scavenging habit, multi-coloured plumage, and long shanks but have higher egg and meat production than the desi. However with increased egg production the broodiness character present in desi birds has been lost. For realizing optimum egg and meat production there are certain practices the farmers’ need to follow:

 

1. Vaccination for protection from New castle disease and Infectious Bursal
2. Moisture level in feed should not exceed 12% so as to avoid mould Feed should be protected from infestation by rodents, vermin and insects which are a source of salmonella.
3. Proper cleaning of feeders and
4. Simple wire meshed housing to protect from

 

Crores of Indian rural households are engaged in backyard poultry production. It is common with communities like muslims, tribals, and other economically depressed or marginalised communities it is a traditional woman centric activity of rural families undertaken as a household chore. It is not a highly producing and very remunerative activity but a significant contributor to livelihoods of especially the poor.   While commercial poultry made rapid progress in urban or semi-urban areas the rural sector has lagged behind.   It is pertinent to note that while most of the poultry eggs and meat are produced in the rural areas they are quickly dispatched to the urban/semi-urban areas for consumption. The pockets of poultry areas exist in the country and the production and consumption is not uniform throughout. The eggs/ broilers are re-routed from the urban to rural areas and they are available at higher rates in the rural areas. The production, productivity and area under pulses have not increased. Hence the price of pulses has gone up depriving the rural people of cheaper plant protein source. Milk prices have also gone up. In this context, rural backyard poultry can provide cheap quality animal protein to the rural people.

2.    PRIVATE EFFORTS:

 

Private sector organizations engaged in rural backyard poultry are:

 

S.N.	Name of organization	Released stock
1.	Kegg farms, New Delhi	Kuroiler
2.	AVM Hatcheries, Coimbatore	Coloured layer
3.	Deejay Hatcheries, Bangalore	a.   FR 295- Coloured layer b.   Coloured mini broiler
4.	Kalyani Poultry Farms, Mumbai	DKF

 

The private sector engaged in rural backyard poultry is Kegg farms. They introduced kuroiler in the year 1993and sold more than a million chicks in the first year itself. By 2005-2006, the number reached 14 million. Kegg farm was awarded the ‘Business India Innovation Award’ under social entrepreneurship category.

 

Kegg farm has developed a model to reach the nook and corner of the country.

Breeding farm/ hatchery®chicks®Dealers (Feed, chicks, medicines) ®Mother (Brooding units rear chicks up to3-4 weeks growers) ®Pheriwalas (cycle vendors)® rural farmers.

 

The author has seen unemployed rural youth of Bihar procuring kuroilers chicks from the nearby districts/state and rearing them to marketing age. They then wholesale it to the retailers who dress it and sell it in the market. There are some other poultry producers who rear chicks up to 2 weeks of age. They make a profit of Rs.5/- per bird and sell it to pheriwalas. The pheriwalas are cycle vendors who keep live chicks in bamboo baskets covered with mosquito net. These pheriwalas sell the produce among rural folk at a small marginal profit.

 

The services provided by the kegg farms include farmers’ training, technical assistance, organizing seminars and workshops, circulating literature in local language.

 

Performance parameters of kuroilers

S.N	Parameters	Productivity
1.	Body weight (in kgs) at 20 weeks	Males	2.3-2.4
		Females	1.8-1.9
2.	Yearly egg production (nos.)	Scavenging condition	150
		Village condition	200

 

3. GOVERNMENT EFFORTS:

 

In 2009, the Government of India launched a centrally sponsored scheme for “Poultry development”. Birds with higher productivity are to be distributed among BPL families and mother units for rearing chickens up to 4 weeks are set up.

 

 

S.N.	Name of Organisation	Released stock
1.	Project Directorate on Poultry, Hyderabad	Vanaraja, Krushibro
2.	Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar	CARI Gold, Nirbheek, Hitcari
3.	Central Poultry Development Organization (ER), Bhubaneswar	Kalinga Layer
4.	Central   Poultry    development    Organization (NR), Chandigarh	Chabro
5.	University Of   Agricultural   Sciences,   Hebbal, Bangalore	Giriraja, Girirani
6.	Jawaharlal   Nehru    Krishi    Vishwavidyaalaya, Jabalpur	Krishna J
7.	Poultry Research Station, Nandanam	Coloured layer

 

Among the government sector Vanaraja has been widely popular among the rural hinterlands. Vanaraja has been developed by the Project Directorate on Poultry (PDP) using Cornish population as male line and random bred meat control as female line. The bird has multi-coloured plumage and adaptability to adverse climatic condition. It is widely popular as rural backyard poultry among the various states. The author has seen these birds being immensely popular among the people of Kashmir valley for its body weight, bright colour plumage, egg laying capacity, disease resistance, and chick survival. It was their prized possession they showed to their guests and offered in dinner during Id or Bakrid. Vanaraja survived the harsh winter of Kashmir. However, its voracious appetite, eating whatever is there in the kitchen garden, bullying the native Kashmir fevorella, long and hard bone (poor organoleptic attribute) and non-broodiness has not gone well with the Kashmiris. Since the birds are non-broody the eggs have to be hatched under native fevorella hen or in the government hatchery. In Bihar, Vanaraja chicks have been distributed among the rural population by the animal husbandry department. Hatcheries have been set up and eggs of Vanaraja are being hatched for supply to the farmers. However, more effort is still needed.

 

Performance parameters

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs)	at 6 weeks	0.8
		at 26 weeks	2.0-2.2
2.	Average egg weight (g)		55-63
3.	Yearly egg production		140-150

Birds for rural backyard poultry released by the Central Avian Research Institute

CARI Devendra: Dual purpose medium sized bird developed from coloured synthetic broiler as male line and Rhode Island Red as female line. It has attractive bright plumage colour.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs)	at 8 weeks	1.1-1.2
		at 10 weeks	1.4-1.5
		at 12 weeks	1.7-1.8
2.	Feed conversion ratio (0-8 weeks)		2.5-2.6
3.	Age at sexual maturity (days)		155-160
4.	Yearly egg production		190-200

 

CARI BRO Dhanraja: Commercial cross of coloured synthetic male and female lines. It has bright plumage with single comb.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs)	at 6 weeks	1.5-1.7
		at 7 weeks	2.0-2.1
		at 12 weeks	1.7-1.8
2.	Feed conversion ratio (0-7 weeks)		1.92

 

 

Birds developed for tropical climate: Various genes responsible for characters such as naked neck (absence of feathers in the neck region) and frizzle plumage have been introduced for tropical climates.

 

CARI BRO Mrityunjay: Developed through introgression of naked neck gene into coloured and white synthetic broiler lines. The stock has adaptability to high ambient temperature and ideal for tropical environment.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs)	at 6 weeks	1.4-1.5
		at 7 weeks	1.8-2.0
2.	Feed conversion ratio (0-6 weeks)		1.95

 

CARI BRO Tropicana: Naked neck and frizzle genes were introgressed to broiler stocks from desi. These stocks were crossed to develop this bird.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs.)	at 6 weeks	1.3
		at 7 weeks	1.8
2.	Feed conversion ratio (0-6 weeks)		2.11

 

Some Indian breeds have been used to develop birds adapted to Indian condition Aseel a native breed is endowed with fighting ability and Kadaknath with organoleptic attributes.

 

CARI Nirbheek: A cross of Aseel with CARI Red. They escape from predators due to activeness and fighting character.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs) at 20weeks	Males	1.85
		Females	1.35
2.	Annual egg production (nos.)		198

 

CARI Shyama: A cross of Kadaknath with CARI Red. Black plumage and the viscera is also black coloured due to deposition of melanin pigment.   Melanin causes increased protein deposition and decreased fat and muscle fiber length.

 

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs) at 20weeks	Males	1.46
		Females	1.12
2.	Annual egg production (nos.)		210

Hitcari: A cross of native naked neck with CARI Red. The neck region is devoid of feathers. Birds can tolerate high temperatures in extreme summer.

S.N	Parameters		Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs)	at 8 weeks	0.5
		at 12 weeks	1.0
2.	Annual egg production (nos.)		100-120

 

 

 

Upcari: Indian native chicken with frizzle plumage has been utilized for development of Upcari birds. These multi-coloured birds are better adapted to tropical climate because of frizzle plumage.

 

Performance parameters

 

S.N	Parameters	Productivity
1.	Body weight (kgs) at 20 weeks	1.3
2.	Age at sexual maturity (d)	165
3.	Annual egg production (nos.)	220
4.	Egg weight at 40 weeks (g)	60
5.	Hatchability, Fertile eggs set (%)	84

 

Recently efforts have been made for improvement of native ducks and other alternative species of poultry for diversification and adoption among farmers. The author has observed that for proper adoption among farmers in the initial stage they should not be provided day-old chicks. Farmers do not provide proper brooding, medication, vaccination in the initial phase and the result is heavy mortality. Infrastructure creation at farmers’ level will also entail heavy expenses. Hence such extension programmes providing day-old chicks to farmers are deemed to fail. Even before distributing 4 weeks old chicks reared under proper vaccination and brooding they have to be observed for other disease as well such as coccidiosis and it is prudent to provide medication before distribution among farmers. Before distribution, farmers have to be made aware that whenever they notice any observable symptoms of disease among their flock they should immediately report it to the veterinarian. They should also provide some supplementary feeding of broken rice, crushed maize etc to realize their full growth potential. The veterinarian should at proper intervals visit to see the symptoms of the disease and if needed perform post-mortem examination for proper diagnosis. Newcastle disease and Infectious Bursal Disease have been commonly observed among the flock in rural poultry almost anywhere in the country and Infectious coryza have been observed in the Kashmir valley.

 

Another problem with the rural poultry is predators. Fear of wild animals such as foxes and domestic animals such as cats consuming backyard poultry dither farmers. Hence some cheap housing with wire mesh and bamboo or wood work has to be provided to the birds for safety from predators. The farmers who have previous experience and cheap housing can be given backyard poultry for successful adoption. Many of the people from the scientific community hold the view that introduction of developed stock and their successful adoption among farmers will lure them from rearing desis and the native population such as Kashmir Fevorella may be endangered. Besides the non-broodiness of these birds, dominance for feed and their mating with the indigenous stock will produce yet another cross. Hatcheries in sufficient numbers are lacking and 24hrs assured electricity for hatcheries is a must. However, author is of the view that desis enjoy advantage on organoleptic attributes over any of these stock; Kadaknath in particular has no parallel. Their heavy consumption may rather endanger them. Which of the view is right that is for the future to decide.