Poultry breeds, selection and breeding
Domain 1 – Poultry breeds, selection and breeding
The exam tests whether you can classify poultry by purpose, choose a breed for Odisha’s backyard conditions, and apply simple selection and breeding principles without confusing improved varieties with purebreds.
Core concepts
- Purpose classes: layer (eggs), broiler (meat), dual-purpose (both). Indigenous breeds such as Aseel, Kadaknath, Ghagus and Nicobari are hardy, disease-tolerant and suited to scavenging, but low egg output.
- Improved varieties: Vanaraja and Gramapriya are dual-purpose birds promoted for rural backyard flocks; Giriraja and Srinidhi are coloured broiler-type birds; CARI Priya is a layer-type. They need better feed and management than indigenous birds.
- Selection: choose birds with bright eyes, clean vent, straight keel, well-spread legs and good body depth; cull persistently poor layers, lame and deformed birds. For breeding, select from healthy, high-producing parents and avoid close relatives.
- Breeding systems: inbreeding increases uniformity but risks inbreeding depression; outcrossing brings new genes; crossbreeding exploits heterosis (hybrid vigour). Upgrading local hens with an improved male is a practical village approach.
Worked example
A farmer wants a backyard flock that lays some eggs and can be sold as meat with minimal bought feed. A pure broiler is a poor choice because it needs high-protein feed and is prone to heat stress. Vanaraja or Gramapriya is more suitable: dual-purpose, coloured, and more tolerant of scavenging. If the aim were maximum eggs in a confined house, a layer-type such as CARI Priya would be better. The decision follows purpose first, then feed and housing.
Traps
- Calling every coloured bird “indigenous”; Vanaraja is an improved cross, not a pure breed.
- Selecting only for body size and ignoring egg production or mothering ability.
- Using a brother–sister mating repeatedly and expecting hybrid vigour; that is inbreeding.
- Assuming improved birds can survive on scavenging alone.
Key points
- Match breed to purpose: layer, broiler or dual-purpose.
- Indigenous breeds are hardy but low-yielding; improved varieties need better inputs.
- Cull poor layers and deformed birds; breed from healthy, productive parents.
- Crossbreeding gives hybrid vigour; inbreeding risks depression.
- Vanaraja and Gramapriya suit backyard dual-purpose flocks.