Productive performance of desi field chickens as affected under deep litter system
2003
Sahota, A.W. | Bhatti, B.M. (Poultry Research Inst., Rawalpindi (Pakistan))
This study was conducted to examine the present productive potentials of field Desi chickens housed under deep litter system. For this purpose a detailed survey was conducted in rural areas of Punjab Province (Pakistan) to know availability of true specimens of Desi birds. After the survey a total number of 1329 adult Desi birds were selected from different villages of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts. The birds were housed at Govt. Poultry Farm, Mianwali for initial acclimatization for 6 to 8 weeks and subjected then to prophylactic vaccination and then they were shifted to Breeding and Incubation Division of Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi. A total number of 450 Desi birds (150 each of black, dark brown and light brown varieties) were randomly selected and were sub-divided into 3 groups of equal size. They were maintained on littered floor in 9 separate pens under optimal managemental conditions for a period of 42 weeks. The results indicated that black, dark brown and light brown groups of Desi chickens produced 1.93, 1.96 and 2.17 dozen eggs (0.0459, 0.0467 and 0.0516 dozen eggs per week) with intake of 29.75, 29.29 and 29.64 kg feed, respectively. The results showed similar performance in egg production and feed intake of different groups of Desi chickens. A similar pattern in egg weight, egg mass and FCR (feed/kg eggs) was observed, however, FCR in light brown Desi (13.68) was found to be significantly (P less than 0.01) better than that of Desi black (15.42) birds. The results further showed depression in production potential of field Desi chickens in comparison to previous production data recorded in the earlier period.
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