Vol. 11, Special Issue 1 (2022)

Author(s):
Shivappa Nayaka HB, Jayanaik, S Wilfred Ruban, HC Indresh, HD Narayanaswamy and MH Shankara

Abstract:
The present study was carried out to document the characteristics of indigenous chicken production system existing among farmers under filed condition in Bengaluru division (Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davanagere and Shimogga) of Karnataka. A total of 2400 household (600 each from 4 districts) were interviewed using structured questionnaire to assess various managemental practices viz., flock size, housing and feeding management, egg production traits. The results indicated that average flock size per household in the division was 20.55 birds and the overall average marketing age of cock and hen were 7.46 ± 0.06 and 11.47 ± 0.20 months, respectively. It was evident that majority of the farmers did not provide any separate housing facility in Bangalore division, however 19, 22.8, 19.1 and 21.07 per cent of the farmers from Tumkur, Chitradurga Shivamogga and Davanagere districts provided shelter made from locally available resources. Supplemental feeding apart from scavenging was observed among farmers in Chitradurga (68.8%) followed by farmers in Davanagere (67%), Tumkur (55%) and Shivamogga (51.98%). The survey revealed that high per cent of the farmers did not vaccinate their birds (68.53%). A significant difference (P≤0.05) in egg production per cycle, number of cycles per year, annual egg production and annual chick production was evident among all the four districts with higher production being recorded in Chitradurga district and the lowest in Shivamogga district. Majority of the eggs were brown (46.34%) in colour and the average egg weight was 40.03±0.84 grams. The results of the present study clearly indicated diversity in managemental practices within the four districts of Bengaluru division of Karnataka, indicating that the production practices varies with geographical location, climatic condition and locally available resources.