Kumaresan A, Bujarbaruah K M, Pathak K A, Chhetri Bijoy, Ahmed S K, Haunshi Santosh
Animal Production Division, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umroi Road, Umiam, Barapani, Meghalaya 793 103, India.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2008 Aug;40(6):395-402. doi: 10.1007/s11250-007-9097-y. Epub 2007 Oct 31.
This study was designed to analyze the low input backyard poultry production system practiced by the tribal farmers, and evaluate the performance of an improved dual-purpose breed, the Vanaraja. Results revealed that a significantly (p < 0.05) higher number of farmers used temporary, non-conventional poultry houses made of locally available materials, such as bamboo and wood. Most of the farmers (65.9 %) did not provide balanced feed to their poultry and did not vaccinate their birds against any disease. Under standard management conditions, the average body weight of Vanaraja birds at 6 weeks was 625 +/- 10.9 g. Under backyard conditions, the body weight at 18 months was 3.6 +/- 0.8 kg. The age at first egg was 154 +/- 9 days in the backyard system, whereas under the intensive system it was 196 +/- 4 days. Annual production under the backyard and intensive systems of rearing was 176 +/- 9 and 152 +/- 7 eggs, respectively. Mortality of adult birds was 12 % and predation by foxes and wild cats accounted for 1.67 %. This study revealed that village chickens are an important income source for household expenses, and that traditional free-range poultry production in the smallholder sector of developing countries can possibly be improved through the use of improved dual-purpose birds.
本研究旨在分析部落农民采用的低投入后院家禽生产系统，并评估改良型两用品种瓦纳拉贾鸡的生产性能。结果显示，显著更多（p < 0.05）的农民使用由当地可得材料如竹子和木材制成的临时非传统禽舍。大多数农民（65.9%）未给家禽提供均衡饲料，也未对家禽进行任何疾病的疫苗接种。在标准管理条件下，瓦纳拉贾鸡6周龄时的平均体重为625 +/- 10.9克。在后院养殖条件下，18月龄时体重为3.6 +/- 0.8千克。后院养殖系统中初产蛋的年龄为154 +/- 9天，而在集约化养殖系统中为196 +/- 4天。后院养殖和集约化养殖系统下的年蛋产量分别为176 +/- 9枚和152 +/- 7枚。成年鸡的死亡率为12%，狐狸和野猫的捕食占1.67%。本研究表明，乡村鸡是家庭开支的重要收入来源，并且发展中国家小农户部门的传统自由放养家禽生产可能通过使用改良型两用鸡得到改善。
