Improvement of PD-4, a native chicken germplasm for backyard poultry farming

Abstract

Backyard poultry production plays a pivotal role in providing much needed animal protein at affordable and sustainable manner for rural and tribal people in the country. Native chickens are predominantly reared in backyard poultry production and their growth and production need to be improved to enhance the productivity of backyard farming. This study reports the improvement in performance of PD-4 birds evolved from the Aseel-Peela, a native chicken breed subjected to mild selection for higher body weight over six generations. There was an improvement of 142 g in body weight at 16 weeks of age from 1052 to 1194 g. Similarly, there was also improvement of 368 and 429 g in body weight at 24 weeks of age in male and female birds respectively. Age at sexual maturity decreased from 213 to 162.3 days. Egg production up to 40 weeks of age improved from 36.2 to 57.5 numbers. Egg weight at 40 weeks of age was maintained between 47 and 48 g over generations. No significant change was noticed in fertility over generations although it varied between 87.0 and 80.7% with average of 82.5%. Similarly, there was no significant change in hatchability on fertile (FES) and total egg set (TES). Average hatchability on FES and TES were 77.0 and 63.9% respectively. This germplasm was evaluated for egg production up to 72 weeks of age under intensive system. Survivors’ egg production up to 72 weeks of age was 156.5±2.79 while hen day and hen housed egg production were 144.9 and 137.5 eggs respectively. Egg weight consistently improved from 35.13 g at age at first egg to 48.07 g at 40 weeks of age and marginally increased by 1.56 g from 40 weeks to 72 weeks of age (49.63±0.43). Body weight and shank length of hens at 72 weeks of age were 1949±19.05 g and 104.5±0.31 mm respectively. Consistent performance of this germplasm suggests that it has the potential to be used as improved germplasm either in pure bred form or in cross combination with other germplasm for low input backyard/free range system of farming.