All India Coordinated Research Project on Poultry Breeding

Mandate of the Project:

Initiated in the year 2017-18 as Poultry Seed Project, it had a mandate for

1. Production and distribution of newly developed backyard poultry varieties (Vanaraja, Gramapriya, Srinidhi and Krishibro) and newly developed indigenous poultry varieties (Vanashree, Kadaknath, Ghagus and Aseel).
2. To cater the needs of rural population for improving the per capita consumption of eggs and chicken in a sustainable way, by rearing under free range/scavenging system mostly by rural men/self-employed entrepreneur. Thus, proving to be a source for improving their livelihoods by of supplementary income from sale of eggs and meat and also to meet their nutritional needs through low input technology.

Eventually it was upgraded to AICRP on Poultry Breeding in the FY 2023-24 with the existing objectives of Poultry Seed Project.

Objectives:

1. Parents (male line male and female line female) of improved chicken germplasm (Vanaraja, Gramapriya and Srinidhi) will be procured from the ICAR-DPR andreared under standard management practices.
2. Parent lines will be reared to produce fertile eggs. Post hatching, the chicks will be reared in nursery unit or sold to NGOs/KVKs/farmers up to 6 weeks of age. Followed, by distribution of chicks tofarmers on cost basis.
3. To evaluate the performance of the birds at field conditions, through recording of body weight at 4 weeks intervals during growing period (7-20 weeks). To record egg production and egg weight at every 14-day intervals during egg laying period (21-72 weeks). Analysis, documentation and reporting of the data at regular intervals.

Achievements:

• The Project has so far supplied about 2,19,155 chicks and 16,764 fertile eggs of different backyard poultry varieties to farmers and conducted capacity building programs to upgrade their skill pertaining to rearing of poultry, thus benefiting 2400 farmers.

Faculty:

Dr. K.Prashanth Kumar, Scientist (PSc) and Co- Principal Investigator

Mob. No: 7013179181, Email: prashanth992@gmail.com