Advances in poultry production system

Introduction

Poultry production in India has taken a quantum leap in the last four decades, emerging from an unscientific farming practice to commercial production system. The total poultry population in the country has increased by 16.8% over the previous census and the total poultry in the country is 851.81 Million (20^th livestock census). The total backyard poultry in the country is 317.07 million in 2019, increased by 45.8% over previous census. The total commercial poultry in the country is 534.74 million in 2019, increased by 4.5% over previous census. The annual egg production was approx. 114.38 billion (2019-20) which increased by 10.19% over previous year bringing India at 3^rd position in egg production. Indian poultry contributes 5.1% to world’s poultry. Rural poultry sector is developing significantly, contributing more than 30%. Time to time development programmes and schemes has been started to develop poultry sector.

Directorate of Poultry Research

Directorate of Poultry Research Formerly was known by Project Directorate on Poultry (PDP), under ICAR. It was Set up as coordinating unit of All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Poultry in 1970 and became full-­fledged Project Directorate during 1988 and shifted to Hyderabad and elevated to position of Directorate in 2013.It was set up with an objective first to coordinate research at AICRP centres located across the country and second To conduct research on the development and improvement of chicken lines for commercial and rural poultry production

All India Coordinated Research Project (Coordination and monitoring by Directorate of Poultry Research) 

• AICRP on Poultry for Egg. The project was set up with an objective to evolve high yielding strains with average performance of 305 eggs with more than 54 g of egg weight at 40 weeks of age and less than 1% layer house mortality per month, To estimate genetic gains from selection in the principal and correlated traits, To compare the different breeding methods for improving the principal performance traits. their centres were established at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Hyderabad, Kerala Agricultural University, Munuthy and Anand Agricultural University, Anand
• AICRP on Poultry for Meat: The project was set up with an objective to evolve a commercial broiler with at least 1700g body weight at 6 wks of age, with feed efficiency of less than 2.00 and mortality less than 5 per cent up to 5 wks of age , to estimate genetic gains from selection in the principal and correlated traits, to compare different breeding methods for improving the principal performance trait and reduction in size of broiler dam line through introduction of dwarf gene. centres were established at Karnakata Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences University, Bangalore, OUAT, Bhubaneshwar, GADVASU, Ludhiana and Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar
• AICRP on Rural Poultry: The project was set up with an objective to test various stocks developed for rural poultry production at both on farm as well as at farmers door for suitability of different germplasm developed for rural poultry production for backward and tribal areas, to record various growth and production traits, phenotypic appearance, adaptability behaviour, scavenging feed base, housing and earning data etc. both at on farm as well as at farmers’ door, To develop newer varieties of chicken for rural/tribal poultry farming. centres were established at ICAR Research complex, Agartala, NDVSU, Jabalpur, AAU, Guwahati, BAU, Ranchi, MPUAT, Udaipur and CSKHPKVV, Palampur

Rural poultry-Four varieties of rural chicken were developed using indigenous and exotic germplasm: Pratapdhan, Kamrupa, Narmadanidhi, Jharsim. Local germplasm of chicken from Rajasthan was collected, purified, characterized and registered as “Mewari breed” of Indigenous chicken

Poultry Seed Project: It was introduced during XI plan with six centres coordinated by DPR with the activities for rearing parent stock of improved rural poultry germplasm and supplying hatching eggs, day-old or grown-up chicks to meet the demand in rural and tribal areas. The project has been strengthened during the XII plan by adding five more centres at WBUAFS, Kolkata; BAU, Patna; CKVV, Durg; ICAR Res. Complex, Nagaland; ICAR Res. Complex, Sikkim and ICAR Res. Complex, Manipur

Central Avian Research Institute: It was established on Nov. 2, 1979. It contribute towards growth & popularization of diversified poultry species such as duck, Guinea fowl, turkey & japanese quails in addition to native chickens & commercial broilers & layers. Pure lines of Aseel Peela, CARIRED, Aseel Kagar, Nicobari, Ankaleswar, Kadaknath, Silky, Coloured Necked Neck and Coloured Frizzle fowls were maintained and utilized for supplying improved crosses.They developed reciprocal crosses of CARINIRBHEEK and CARISHYAMA which were superior over direct crosses (Aseel Peela x CARI-Red and Kadaknath x CARI-Red) for most of the economic & immune-competance traits.

• Ducks: Feeding of fresh Azolla @ 200g/duck/day as replacement of 20% concentrate in feed of White Pekin Improved FCR, Performance efficiency index, Egg production and egg quality traits with enriched yolk colour. Breeds included are Kuzi (Native egg type), Khaki Campbell (Exotic egg type), White Pekin (Exotic Meat Type), Moti (Native meat type)

Climate Resilient Poultry Production System

Hen day egg production of  CARIPRIYATM layers from  24-40th weeks of age at the  floor spaces of 450, 540, 675  and 900 sq cm/ bird  revealed no difference upto 30th week of age. After 30^th week at 250sqcm/bird there was lower Hen day egg production, decreased daily feed consumption, Poor feed conversion ratio (kg egg/kg feed), Poor feather quality, increased Cannibalism . It was also seen that Kadaknath birds expressed better performance than Aseel under acute thermal stress in terms of physiological and haematobiochemical attributes.

Conclusion

Various schemes are undergoing in DPR and CARI for improving the poultry varieties such as crossbreds and pure lines are developed not only for commercial rearing but also the backyard poultry farming for employment generation, women empowerment. AICRP projects are undergoing for egg, meat and rural poultry for developing rural poultry varieties which can be reared under tropical climate. CARI has also developed crossbred birds by crossing indigenous bird with exotic one to increase the egg production and in case of broilers gain in body weight. Climate Resilient Poultry Production System have also been developed with an objective to sustain acute heat stress without compromising their productivity.