NON CHICKEN SPECIES FOR DIVERSIFICATION OF POULTRY PRODUCTION

Dr Azmat Alam Khan

Associate Professor & I/C

Centre for Research on Poultry

SPECTACULAR PROGRESS IN POULTRY

HAS BEEN CHICKEN CENTRIC

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• DUCK
• GEESE
• GUINEA FOWL
• TURKEY
• QUAIL
• PIGEON
• OSTRICH
• EMU

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ALTERNATIVES

DUCKS

Domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos).

Muscovy duck (Cairana moschata)

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23 million ducks in India account for 8.5 of the total poultry population of the country.

Indigenous breeds /varieties.

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Indian runner.

Nageshwari

Sythetemete

Pati

Deo

Hanh

Rajhanh

Chara

Chamballi

Exotic breeds /varieties.

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Khaki Campbell (Egg Type)

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Pekin

Ayelsbury (Meat Type)

Rouen

Call

Crested White (Ornamental)

BREEDS

ADVANTAGES

• Ducks are more productive (lay more eggs than chicken)
• Duck eggs are heavier than hen eggs
• Ducks have longer laying life than chicken
• Ducks require lesser attention than chicks
• Ducks are better foragers
• Ducks require less elaborate housing
• Ducks are quite hardy, more easily brooded
• Ducks do not have problem of cannibalism
• Ducks lay 95-98% of their eggs early in the morning
• Ducks are useful for integrated farming systems
• Duck egg and meat have higher calorific value
• Duck feathers and down is used for stuffing pillows, sleeping bags, jackets,quilts etc.

PREVALENT PRACTICES OF DUCK PRODUCTION AND CONSTRAINTS:

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• Reared by poor and downtrodden sections of society.
• Mostly local/desi non-descript low producing ducks are reared.
• No attention of geneticists: no selection and breeding systems.
• No scientific housing or feeding is practised.
• Ducks are housed in conventional houses with no flooring, ventilation etc.
• Considerable losses occur due to migration of flocks in search of feeding resources.
• A broody hen is used to incubate duck eggs and brood ducklings
• On average 15-20 eggs are set/hen for an incubation period of 26-28 days. Hatchability is usually 60%.
• No vaccination/medication is resorted to.
• Heavy mortality is often reported on account of duck plague, duck cholera, duck viral hepatitis, duck pox and parasitic infections do occur.
• No proper marketing channels exist.
• The eggs consumed in the family or bartered off to local shopkeeper
• Duck meat is consumed during autumn
• Farmers receive meager renumeration; most of money goes into the hands of inter-mediaries.

DUCK FARM AT SKUAST

GEESE

Anser anser

Least studied

No statistics available

BREEDS

African

Buff

Canada

Chinese

Egyptian

Embden Goose

English

Fighting goose

Italian

Pilgrim

Pomeranian

Roman

Sebastapol

Toulouse

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FEEDS AND FEEDING

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Excellent foragers.

Fulfill most or all of their dietary needs through foraging.

Have powerful bills and long necks which help them at cleaning weeds from hard to reach places

Can also manage on vegetable trimmings, garden and table left-overs, shattered grains

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• Supplementary feeding during laying period increases egg production and egg mass.
• A concentrate feed comprising 45% grains, 22% oil cakes, 30% bran and 3% mineral mixture should be offered @ 200 grams/day in addition to foraging.

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• Goslings may be given broken grains such as rice, wheat, etc for the first week of their age.

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Some information about Kashmir geese

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• Variations: Plumage: Cinammon and White with all intermediates

Bill: Yellow to black with all intermediates

Eye colour: Grey and Brown

• Sexual dimorphism: Voice and External genetalia
• Egg production: Kashmir Geese lays alternately in two laying cycles of 8-12 eggs in Feb & March
• ASM:11 months
• Incubation: Geese incubate their eggs themselves, Incubation period: 30 days
• Growth: Attain body weight of 3kg in 8-10 months
• Life span:15-20 years.
• Dressing percentage : 70%

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• Disease prevention and treatment

Normally no vaccinations are given.

Both endo and ecto parasitic infestations prevalent

Broad spectrum antibiotic can prevent the occurrence of bacterial infections and mortality can be controlled.

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GEESE REARING AT SKUAST

TURKEY

Meleagris gallopova

VARIETIES

Standard varieties

Bronze

White Holland

Bourbon Red

Narrangansett

Black

Slate

Beltsville Small White (BSW)

Non-standard varieties

Broad Breasted Large White (BBLW)

Broad Breasted Bronze (BBB)

Turkey Germplasm available in India

• Lower in fat and cholesterol (lowest of all avian commercial species)

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• Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, essential fatty acids, essential aminoacids especially tryptophan & Vitamins like Niacin, VitaminB6 & B12

• Efficient and high meat producer for the long term growing period.

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• Seven-week-old turkey, has 1/3 of the body fat of chicken and 1/7 of the duck.

Some facts about turkey meat

Brooder performance

• 8^th week body weight (g) Males 1180±15.28

Females 940±10.73

• Feed Efficiency (0 to 8 weeks ) 2.75
• Livability(%) 63

Grower performance

• 24^th week body weight (g) Males 5800 ± 124.23

Females 4000 ± 94.73

• Feed Efficiency (0 to 8 weeks ) 4.25
• Livability(%) 90

Layer performance

• 28 to 48 weeks HDEP 50% HHEP 42%
• Feed Efficiency Per Kg egg mass 4.73
• Livability (%) 92

Production performance

PRACTICES IN TURKEY FARMING

• 0-8 weeks period is called brooding period.
• As a thumb rule, the turkey poults need double hover space as compared to chicken.
• Brooding day old poults can be done using infrared bulbs or gas brooder and traditional brooding systems.

Brooding Management

Prevent poult mortality

• Adequate heat supplementation to avoid cold shock
• Heat requirement 2 watts/poult
• Keeping the feed in contrast plastic feed trays
• Good cross ventilation
• Adequate calcium and phosphorus level (Ca:P – 1.6:0.9)
• Frequent feeding – 4 times a day
• Feed intake/day (0-4 weeks) 15-32g/day � 5-8 weeks) 40-90g/day
• Vaccination Mesogenic ND vaccine at 8 weeks
• Coccidiostat Diclazuril
• Drug toxicity – Monensin, Salinomycin, Tiamulin,

DISEASES OF TURKEY

Bacterial Diseases

• Salmonellosis: Salmonella Arizona
• Colibacillosis: E.coli
• Infectious Coryza: Haemophilus paragallinarium
• Turkey rhinotracheitis: :Bordatella avium
• Fowl cholera: Pasteurella multocida
• Mycoplasma infections: CRD, Infectious sinusitis: Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycotic Diseases:

• Aspergillosis (Brooder Pneumonia): Aspergillus fumigatus
• Mycotoxicosis: Aflatoxin B1, Ochratoxin A, T2 toxin, Citrinin, Zearalenone, CZA

Viral Diseases

• Fowl pox: Avian pox virus
• New Castle Disease: Avian Paramyxo virus
• Avian Influenza: orthomyxovirus (Avian influenza Virus)
• Turkey Poult Enteritis (Stunting syndrome): Corona virus

Protozoan Diseases

• Coccidiosis: Eimeria spp
• Histomoniasis(Black Head): Histomonas meleagridis

Miscellaneous

• Sudden death syndrome in turkeys.
• Pendulous crop (baggy, sour): Weakening of the crop and supporting tissues

TURKEY REARING AT SKUAST

Guinea fowl

Numida meleagris

Numida ptilorhyncha

BREEDS

Guinea fowl Germplasm available in India

• ADVANTAGES OF GUINEA FOWL FARMING
• Hardy disease resistant birds
• Weed control
• Pest control
• Tolerate weather extremes
• Low input housing
• Consumes nonconventional feed
• Resistant to mycotoxin
• Premium meat quality
• Ornamental nature
• Adopted to backyard rearing

CHARACTERISTICS

• It has a more gregarious behaviour than that of chicken
• Νervousness and timidity - reduced by darkness
• Darkened building with reduced artificial light are recommended
• Εxtremely noisy and cannot be reared in the immediate vicinity of dwelling places
• In wild state the plants play an important part of its feeding

MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Seasonal breeders (March-September)
• Elimination by continuous supply of protein
• They mate in pairs
• Monogamous in wild
• Attention to elimination of permanent pairs
• While selection - good size and uniform colour are important
• Artificial insemination
• Incubation period - 28 days
• For natural incubation chicken is used
• Artificial incubation same as that for chicken eggs
• Chicken hens are better mothers for brooding
• During artificial brooding provide corrugated floors or wiremesh floors

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DISEASES

• Protozoan - Trichomoniasis and Histomoniasis
• Helminthes- Round worms and tape worms
• Bacterial- Salmonella, E.coli etc
• Fungal - Candida albicans
• Ectoparasites -Lipeurus numidae, Numidicola and Geniodes numidae
• Multiple syndrome - vitamins and mineral imbalance
• Viral- Ranikhet disease

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EGG PRODUCTION

• Smaller than chicken egg with thick and less porous shell
• Number depend on breeding management
• Start laying around 26 to 28 weeks
• Good stock lay 100 or more eggs/year generally for 2 to 3 years
• Selection can improve the number of eggs

MEAT

• Darker meat
• Young guinea meat - delicious and tender (rich in game flavour)

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EMU

RHEA

CASSOWARY

KIWI

OSTRICH

RATITES

CHARACTERISTICS OF RATITES

OSTRICH

• Behaviour - Social animal
• Running Speed - 60 to 70 km/hr
• Eye Vision - up to 12 km
• Life span - 50 to 60 years
• Breeding - Seasonal
• Egg production - 40 – 50 per year
• Egg size - 900 to 1500 g
• Incubation period - 42 – 44 days
• Male features - Height 7-8 ft

Weight 130-150 kg

• Female feature - Height 6-7 ft

Weight 120 –130 kg

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SOME FEATURES OF OSTRICHES

OSTRICH PRODUCTS

• MAJOR PRODUCTS

Leather

Meat

Feather

• MINOR PRODUCTS

Egg

Egg shells

Oil

Toe nail

LEATHER PRODUCTS

FEATHER PRODUCTS

EGG SHELL PRODUCTS

OIL OF OSTRICH

• Joint ailments
• Itching problems
• Cold sores
• Moisturizer
• Rich in Omega 3 FA
• Dermatological problems
• Anti aging properties

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HATCHERY

EGG STORAGE

CHICKS

Ostrich Research unit, LRS, TANUVAS

Emu

CHARACTERISTICS

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• Emus are curious and docile birds.
• Chicks are 10 inch tall with black and white stripes.
• At 3 months turn nearly solid black and change into tan, brown and black mixture.
• The feathers are downy with no vein running through the centre
• Mature emu is 5-6 feet tall and weighs 90-100 pounds.
• Flightless, but strong runners (40 miles per hour) (9 feet stride)
• Adapts well to temperature extremes from tropical to sub-zero.
• Require simple diet but lot of water
• Breed in pairs.
• Hen is productive for 25-35 years and may lay 20-50 eggs in season.
• Laying begins at 2-3 years of age.
• Incubation period is 49-52 days and Hatchability is 70-80%.
• Chick survival is excellent.
• Chicks walk within hours and run within days.

USEFULLNESS

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• Emu oil: Effective on burns, stiffness of muscles and joints, against ageing of skin, itching, bursitis, insect bites, eczema, cold sores, psorosis etc.

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• Meat: Delicious red meat low in calories (97% fat free). Similar in texture and taste of that of lean beef but is lower in cholesterol, fat and calories.

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• Leather: Skin produces leather of reptilian appearance used for products including boot,s belts, handbags, wallets, garments etc.

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• Emu feathers: Attractive double quilled feathers used in craft industries

• Egg shells: Egg shells are painted and used as decorative items

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• Toe nails: are polished and used in jewellery

PERFORMANCE OF EMU

PIGEON

Flight and show purpose breeds/strains

• Kheri
• Nisvari
• Kabli
• Hydrabadi
• Patiala
• Saharanpure
• Asceel
• Lakka
• Girbaz
• Zeera
• Lotan
• Maina jog
• Chandan Chuha

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Heavy weight breeds for meat production

• Naqabposh
• Gola.
• Umer
• Lahores.
• Indian Mondian.

Imported germplams pure breds -

• Kings.
• Careaux
• Runts.
• Homers.
• Giant Homes
• Mondran

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PURPOSE / USES

• Sport (Flyers and performers)
• Shows
• Meat production

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SPECIAL CHARACTERS

Filoplumes feather with sensory functions (detecting touch and pressure changes)

Excellent eyesight - can see color and ultraviolet light (used in human search-and-rescue missions )

Sensitive hearing Can hear sounds at much lower frequencies - distant thunderstorms and even far-away volcanoes 

Magnetoception-able to detect the Earth’s magnetic fields

Crop Milk

Water: 75 -77% , Protein :11-13% , Fat : 5- 8% , Minerals (P ,Ca, Na and K): 1.2 -2%

SQUAB MEAT PRODUCTION- Main commercial ability of pigeon

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Selected Germplams -: quick growth and have large breasts than unselected stock.

Squabs are harvested just before full feather development and before they start to fly, (21-30 days of age).

Squab production is different from other poultry operations in that the squabs have to be bred and fed by their parents until the marketing age of about 4 weeks.

A pair of pigeons may raise 15 young ones in a year.

Squab meat has a special place among the meat eaters. It is a delicacy and fetches premium price

FEEDING PIGEONS

• Pigeons are grain eaters
• Pelleted feed plus whole or cracked grain can be fed
• Feed composition –

corn: 40%,

wheat: 20%,

peas: 22%

other grains: 18%

+ Plus free choice mineral mixture

• Feed consumption =1kg feed/day/20 pairs

PIGEON DISEASES AND PESTS

Common diseases

• Ranikhet
• Pigeon pox
• Tuberculosis
• Psittacosis
• Round worm infection
• Canker (Protozoan infection with yellowish-white lesions in the mouth or throat
• Pneumonia
• Roup (nasal discharge changes to a pus like mucus and will clog the nostrils)
• Egg Binding

Pigeon pests

• Pigeon Flies
• Lice
• Red Mites

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QUAIL

Quail germplasm

CHARACTERISTICS

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• Smallest farmed poultry species
• Fast multiplier, compeletes 3-4 generations/year
• Prolific layer (280 eggs/year)
• Early maturity (6-7 weeks)
• Minimum space requirement (8-10 quails reared in a space of 1 chicken
• Feed requirement: 500g upto 6 weeks, 20-25 g/day thereafter
• High nutritive value of meat and egg
• Weight of egg: 10g
• Weight of day old chick: 6-7g
• Adult weight (6 week): 250g
• Male: female ratio: 1:2
• Incubation period: 16-19
• Dressing percentage: 70%

QUAIL REARING AT SKUAST

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Thank You