Abstract
The productive and reproductive performance of Ankleshwar chicken under intensive management for three successive generations (S0, S1, and S2) was studied at Poultry Research Station, AAU, Anand, Gujarat. Total 546, 422, and 465 pullets of S0, S1, and S2 generation, respectively, were housed in individual layer cages at 16 weeks of age. Production parameters, viz., body weight (g) of day-old, 4th, 8th, 16th and 40th weeks of age; total feed consumption (kg) per bird; mortality (%) during 0-8, 9-16 and 17-40 weeks of age; total egg production (no.) up to 40 weeks of age and average egg weight (g) at the end of 28th and 40th week of age were recorded for three generations. The reproductive parameters, viz., age at sexual maturity (days), fertility (%) and hatchability (%) on Total Egg Set basis (TES) as well as hatchability on Fertile Egg Set basis (FES) were calculated. It was concluded that the rearing of Ankleshwar chicken in intensive management over three (S0, S1 and S2) generations significantly (p≤0.05) improved body weight at 4th, 8th and 16th weeks of age, required less feed, improved fertility and showed significantly (p ≤0.05) early age at sexual maturity (154 days) in S2 generation with significant (p≤0.05) decreasing trend in egg production up to 40th week of age from S0 to S2 generation. Hatchability showed a decreasing trend in progressive generations. The birds have shown better livability reared under intensive management in Gujarat.
Highlights
The Indian poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing segments among the livestock sector
Body weight at 4th, 8th and 16th weeks of age in Ankleshwar chicken reared under intensive system of management has been improved in S1 and S2 generations than that of S0 generation
Kalita et al (2012) and Ramana et al (2010) recorded 53.25 ± 5.61 and 52.8 ± 3.64 numbers of egg production up to 40th week in Vanaraja birds reared in an intensive system of housing
Summary
The Indian poultry industry is one of the fastest-growing segments among the livestock sector. The rural and backyard poultry segment of the Indian poultry industry plays a pivotal role in the sustainable rural livelihood of farmers in India (Padhi, 2016). The non-descript desi birds reared by the farmers in their backyard by the traditional system can sustain very well in various ecosystems. The breeding program to improve the performance of indigenous breeds of chicken through selection is of great help to the farmers of rural areas to improve their earning from an indigenous bird. The selection, maintenance, improvement and ex-situ conservation of Ankleshwar breed is being carried out in the intensive rearing system at Poultry Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat.
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