New Swarnadhara poultry breed
The country chickens (having coloured plumage) are strong, require less space for growing and fetch a good price for their meat and eggs.
Researchers at the Department of Avian Production and Management (DVPM), Hebbal, Bangalore have developed a hybrid chicken breed named Swarnadhara.
According to Prof. K. Venkat Reddy, Associate Professor, Department of Poultry Science, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fishery Sciences University (KVAFSU), Hebbal, Bangalore, these Swarnadhara chickens have a high egg production potential along with better growth compared to other local varieties and are suited for mixed and backyard farming.
The birds can be reared for its eggs and meat, and attain maturity from week 22 to week 23. The hens reach a bodyweight of about 3 kg, laying about 180-190 eggs per year. Each egg weighs about 55 – 60 grammes, with a hatchability of 80 – 85%. A day-old chick weighs about 35 – 40 grammes.
The eggshell is brown in colour and thicker than that of other commercial eggs, and hence stronger. The eggs fetch a price of Rs 3 – 5 (€0.05 – 0.09) in the local market.
Join 31,000+ subscribers
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated about all the need-to-know content in the poultry sector, three times a week.
