AGB 211: Livestock and Poultry Breeding (2+1)

MEASUREMENT OF ECONOMIC TRAITS OF POULTRY

Poultry egg and meat are important sources of high quality proteins, minerals and vitamins to balance the human diet. Specially developed breeds of egg type chicken are now available with traits of quick growth and high feed conversion efficiency. Depending on the farm-size, layer farming can be main source of family income or can provide income and gainful employment to farmers throughout the year. Poultry manure has high fertilizer value and can be used for increasing yield of all crops

Poultry industry which provides cheap source of animal protein has taken a quantum leap in the last three decades evolving from a near backyard practice to a venture of industrial promotion. Poultry is one of the fastest growing segments of the agricultural sector in India today. While the production of agricultural crops has been rising at a rate of 1.5 to 2 percent per annum that of eggs has been rising at a rate of 8 percent per annum. India is on the world map as one of the top five egg producing countries with 55.6 billion eggs produced during 2008 (FAO).

The poultry sector in India has undergone a paradigm shift in structure and operation. This transformation has involved sizable investments in breeding, hatching, rearing and processing. Farmers in India have moved from rearing non-descript birds to rearing hybrids which ensures faster growth, good liveability, excellent feed conversion and high profits to the farmers. High quality chicks, equipment, vaccines and medicines are available. Technically and professionally competent guidance is available to the farmers. The management practices have improved and disease and mortality incidences are reduced to a great extent. The industry has grown largely due to the initiative of private enterprise, minimal government intervention and considerable indigenous poultry genetic capabilities, adequate support from the complementary veterinary health, poultry feed, poultry equipment and poultry processing sectors. The industry has created direct and indirect employment for 3 million people. The layer farms have to concentrate on the following economical traits.

Layers

• Hatch weight : Weight of a chick in grams at hatching.
• Weight at 20 weeks : Weight of a chick in grams at 20 weeks of age.
• Age at maturity : Age in days from the date of hatch to the date of first egg.
• Weight at maturity : Weight of a bird in grams on the day of first egg.
• Age at maturity in flocks without trapnesting : Age in days of a flock when
• the first egg in the flock was laid or
• 30 per cent production (on hen-day basis) is reached or
• 50 per cent production (on hen-day basis) is reached
• Egg production at 40 weeks : Number of eggs laid by a pullet from the date of first egg to the completion of 40 weeks of age.
• Egg production at 72 weeks : Number of eggs laid by a pullet from the date of first egg to the completion of 72 weeks of age.
• Hen-day production at 40 weeks of age

Total number of eggs laid by a flock up to 40 weeks/ Number of hen-days )/ Number of hen-days x 100

• Hen-housed production at 40 weeks

Total number of eggs laid by a flock up to 40 weeks /Number of hens housed at 20 weeks X Number of days X 100

• Hen-day production at 72 weeks

Total number of eggs laid by a flock up to 72 weeks /Number of hen days X 100

• Hen-housed production at 72 weeks

Total number of eggs laid by a flock up to 72 weeks / Number of hens housed at 20 weeks X Number of days X 100

• Livability (0-20 weeks) : Number of hens alive at 20^th week to the number of chicks housed at the start (0 day), expressed as percentage.

Number of hens alive at 20^th week / Number of chicks housed at 0 day x 100

• Livability (20 to 72 weeks) : Number of hens alive at 72^nd week to the number of hens housed at 20^th week, expressed as percentage.

Number of hens alive at 72^nd week / Number of hens housed at 20^th week x 100

• Feed efficiency (feed conversion ratio) : Feed consumed in kg to produce a dozen eggs.
• Egg weight or egg size : Average weight of three consecutive eggs in grams laid during 40 weeks of age.
• Hatchability
• Fertility : Percentage of fertile eggs to the total eggs set for hatching.
• Hatchability : Percentage of chicks hatched to the total number of fertile eggs set for hatching (or) percentage of chicks hatched to the total number of eggs set for hatching