An on-farm study on the performance of Vanaraja breed as backyard poultry

Not AvailableKeeping in view the importance of backyard poultry, an attempt has been made to study the adaptability, viability and productive performance of Vanaraja, an improved colored bird under backyard system of management. laid in 40 weeks period were also recorded. lncome from Vanaraja and Desi birds was calculated based on the number of eggs produced and live weight at 40 weeks Jg-e. The egg quality traits tike sheil thickness, egg weight, shape index, albumin index, yolk index were estimated. Haugh unit score, a measure of internal quality of eggs was also computed. Economic analysis of backyard poultry with Vanaraja and Desi birds was calculated. The data was analyzed as per the methods described by Snedecor and Cochran (1 967). Materials and Methods Performance of Vanaraja chicks in backyard was conducted in three districts (Mahaboobnagar, Medak and Karimnagar) of Andhra Pradesh. Two villages in each district were selected as these villages are having a good number of backyard poultry with Desi birds. Four weeks old Vanaraja chicks (n = 600), immuhized against Marek's, Ranikhet, Gumboro and Fowl pox diseases were distributed (10 chicks each) to the women farmers and compared their production potential with Desi chicks (n = 200). At backyard the birds were ailowed to scavenge outside in the field from morning to evening and housed in bamboo basketi during night. Broken rice, ground maize, kitchen waste etc., were offered during morning and evening hours to the birds. The weekly body weights, mortality pattern of chicks were recorded. Relative growth rate of chicks was assessed based on the weekly body weights. The weight of pultet when first egg taid, puilet egg weight and egg weight at 40 weeks age was recorded. Date of laying first egg and number of eggs Results and Discussion Mortality (%) was litfle higher (p < 0.05) in Vanaraja birds (20.2 t 1.12) compare to Desi (17.0 t 0.73). The mortality in Desi poultry (n = 34) was due to diseases, where as predators for Vanara ja (n = 121). Reddy et al. (2002) reported higher immune competence in Vanaraja compared to Desi. The live weight of four weeks old Vanaraja and Desichicks were ranged from 420 - 435 and 128 - 165 g, respectively. The mean body weight of Vanaraja birds at 4, 6, 8, 12, 16,20 and 24 weeks age were 428 ! 2.8,728 + 8.7, 876 t 24.1,967 t 33.0, 1 071 t 44.1, 1S4T t 43.5 and 1992 t 23.49, respectively, where as 142 t 11.3, 196 t 1 6.2, 285 r 34.8, 346 t 38. 1, 512 t 42.6, 683 ! 40.4 and g57 r 34.79 were The lndian Veterinary JNot Availabl