Production performance and immunocompetence of colour layer birds with 25 percent native inheritance under backyard and different systems of management

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the growth and production performance, economics of rearing and immune competence of 4 breed backcross layer type coloured female birds with 25% native inheritance, developed at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University. Five hundred day old chicks were reared up to 6 weeks of age, to evaluate the parameters of economic importance like body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, FCR, livability, carcass yields. Moreover, immunological traits were also evaluated. newlineAt 7 weeks of age Four hundred birds were selected and distributed to 20 groups of 20 females each (4 groups were allocated to each of the 5 treatments), with similar body weights. The first group was fed ad lib. grower mash reared under intensive system was ear marked as control (T1), while 20 and 40% of ad lib. feed was offered to the two treatment groups (T2 and T3) maintained under semi intensive system. The remaining two treatment groups were reared under extensive system (scavenging), one group of four replicates at farm and other 4 replicates to four farmers acquainted with rearing of backyard bird in an adopted village of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Central Research Institute on Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad. All parameters of economic importance during grower and layer phases were studied Males were introduced at 40 weeks of age to study the treatments effect on fertility and hatchability. A biological trial was conducted for immunological studies. Economics were worked out for the cost of rearing the test birds up to pullet age and to determine profits during laying phase from 20 60 weeks of age. newline newline