Performance of Kamrupa Birds reared in Machang type and deep litter housing in flood prone areas of Dhubri district of Assam, India

Introduction

Backyard poultry farming in Assam contributes immensely in providing nutritional need and livelihood security to a vast majority of rural resource poor farmers. Traditionally, a large number of rural farmers maintain a small flock of 15-20 numbers of indigenous fowls within their house. The farm families fulfill regular nutritional requirements in terms of meat and eggs and sometimes their financial need from the small flock of fowl (Islam et al.2014) [5] . Flood is a regular feature of Assam and it occurs almost every year in this region. Livestock and poultry rearing during and after flood become vulnerable as major part of the region submerged under water, destroying pasture, forage land and contaminating the water sources by the flood water (Singh et al., 2023) [11] . This in turn results in disease outbreak in livestock including poultry resulting in heavy mortality in animals and poultry impacting the rural economy and the nutritional security of the farmer. Traditionally, the poultry keepers rear the poultry within their own housing facility on earthen floor. At the time of flood their houses get submerged under water and poultry rearing become almost impossible experiencing heavy mortality of bird. As a measure of intervention in flood prone areas an elevated floor/Machang type system for small scale poultry production is gaining popularity. This type of house popularly known as 'Chang Ghar' which are flood-adaptive stilt house made of locally available material with raised platform in flood prone areas of Assam (Choudhury and Chettry, 2023) [4] . Some farmers are also constructing such type housing for poultry rearing keep the birds above www.extensionjournal.com floodwaters. The birds can be reared very comfortably in Machang type houses even during the time of flood without affecting the performance of the birds. In Assam, a multicoloured, dual purpose improved bird 'Kamrupa' has been developed by AAU which perform very good and well adapted to this region (Kalita, et al., 2016) [7] . Most of studies have been conducted in birds on management systems viz., backyard poultry farming, intensive, semiintensive or rearing of birds in free range system. However, in flood prone areas of Assam no work has been focused on housing design of poultry as an intervention measure during flood. In view of the above, the present experiment was aimed to compare the productive and reproductive performance and economic benefit of rearing Kamrupa birds in Machang type house vs. deep litter house at the selected flood prone areas of the district.

Materials and Methods

Location of the study

The study was conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhubri during the year 2023-24 in two villages, namely, Sreegram and Udmari of Dhubri district of Assam where more than 80 per cent people depend on agriculture and allied sector. Every year flood is a regular feature in this region affecting the agriculture and livestock production thus disturbing socio-economic condition of the people. Small backyard poultry keepers are also affected badly due to the flood. Therefore, it has been thought of an improved housing design for the poultry as a resilient measure in the flood affected areas of the district.

Selection of farmers and sampling

Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Dhubri, Assam Agricultural University, under the NICRA (National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture) project carried out the study. For the study, sixteen farmers from the two adopted villages having experience on poultry rearing were chosen and provided three days training on scientific poultry management prior to the study. A total of 320 Kamrupa dayold chicks were distributed to 16 farmers where each farmer received 20 nos. of chicks. As per the experimental design, eight farmers were provided with required input for construction of Machang type house and rest of the farmers were reared in traditional system on deep litter system. Machang type houses were constructed using locally available cheaper material like bamboo and wooden planks allowing a gap of 1-1.5 cm to pass through the excreta down. In deep litter system, saw dust, sand/dust was used as litter material. Out of the total 320 chicks, 160 were reared in Machang type house (Chang ghar) and remaining 160 chicks were reared in deep litter house.

Management of birds

The day old Kamrupa chicks were brooded for a period of 2 weeks. Heating source was ensured during the brooding period for providing optimum condition during brooding. Up to 4 th week, chicks were managed intensively and provided with broiler starter ration. On completion of 4 th week chicks were reared in semi-intensive system where birds were allowed to feed on forages, insects, food grains, kitchen waste and agricultural waste outside the house during the day time. In evening, the birds came back to their respective houses and were provided with little broken rice and wheat bran throughout their productive life. Standard vaccination schedule is followed against the prevalent diseases. Other management practices viz., periodical sanitization of inside and outside premises of the coop, periodical deworming of the birds, cleaning the floor, cleaning the feeders and drinkers, racking litter material in deep litter system etc. were carried out on regular basis.

Collection of data

The data on body weight sat 0 day, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 40 and 52 weeks of age were recorded. Age at first egg, egg production up to 30, 40, 52 and 72 weeks were recorded. Mortality rate was recorded at 0-4, 5-8, 9-30 and 31-52 weeks. On completion of 20 weeks, cocks were sold out; while, the hens were retained for egg production up to 72 weeks. The eggs were sold to vendors and in the local market and after 72 weeks all birds were sold out and the economics was calculated.

Statistical analysis

The data so collected during the study period were tabulated and analyzed statistically by the method described by Snedecor and Cochran (1995) [12] .

Results and Discussion

Body weight

Average body weights of birds at different ages reared in both Machang type house and deep litter house were depicted in table 1. The average body weights of birds reared in Machang type house and traditional deep litter system at 0 day was 31.57±0.29 and 31.97±0.26 g respectively. Body weight of birds those recorded on 8 th and week for Machang type house and deep litter house was 495.25±5.10 and 470.79±9.10 g respectively, were differed significantly (P<0.05). Similarly, body weights at 40 th week for Machang type house and deep litter house was 1858.21±13.62 and 1811.03±11.39 g which also differed significantly (P<0.05). Moreover, the data on body weights recorded at 52 nd week for [7] where the body weight of Kamrupa birds at 40 th week of age was 1800.57±136.45 g reared in semi-intensive system of management. The scientific literatures on rearing Kamrupa birds in Machang type house in flood prone areas of Assam are very scarce. However, the present study revealed an option for the small-scale poultry producers to rear chickens in Machang type house in flood prone areas of the state. Bhattacharyya et al. (2020) [2] also reported an average body weight of Kamrupa bird as 1.41 kg at 24 th week of age which were maintained in backyard system. Slightly lower body weight was recorded by the mentioned by the researchers above might be due to the fact that the birds were maintained fully on scavenging system without providing any supplemental feed. In the present experiment, birds were provided little unconventional feed like broken rice, household agricultural and kitchen wastes etc. in addition to scavenging system. These extra feed provided to the birds might resulted in exhibition of their full genetic potential and comparatively little higher body weight could be obtained. In yet another study by Sarma et al. (2020) [9] compared the performance of Vanaraja, Kamrupa and Desi birds in tribal community of Lower Brahputra Valley zone of Assam and reported the body weight of Kamrupa bird at 52 nd week as 1957.34±9.71 g resembling the finding of the present study.

Age at first egg production

In the present study, mean age at first egg production of Kamrupa birds reared in Machang type house and deep litter system was recorded at 185.56±1.16 and 187.50±1.18 days, respectively (Table 1). Slightly early age at first egg production was recorded in birds reared in Machang type house, however, the difference is found to be nonsignificant. The previous study also reported the age of sexual maturity of Kamrupa birds as 164.54±3.76 and 185.37±4.61 days reared in intensive system and free range system, respectively (Kalita et al., 2016) [7] . A study carried out by Bharali et al. (2023) [1] in similar line also reported age at first egg laying as 178.50±1.25 days. Chakraborty et al. (2023) [3] reported age at first egg laying as 179 days for Kamrupa bird reared in backyard system. In another study conducted by Sarma (2024) [8] stated that the age of first egg production of Kamrupa bird was 174.59±8.26 days while evaluating the varied economic traits of Kamrupa birds reared in backyard system.

Egg Production

Mean egg production of Kamrupa birds reared in Machang type house at 40 th , 52 nd and 72 nd week differed significantly (P<0.001) than those maintained in deep litter system. At 72 nd weeks mean egg production of Kamrupa birds those reared in Machang type house was recorded as 137.73±1.02 nos. and those which were reared in deep litter system was recorded as 127.10±1.03 nos. and the difference was found to be highly significant (P<0.0001). In the present study birds reared in Machang type house laid more eggs and this might be due to the housing design of Machang type house.

On the other hand, birds reared in deep litter house showed poor performance in terms of total egg laid. As the present study was conducted in the flood prone areas, the impact of flood might affect adversely on the egg production of birds those reared in deep litter system. Sarma et al. (2020) [9] reported slightly higher mean egg production (140.50±0.80 nos.) in Kamrupa birds at 72 nd weeks which was conducted in tribal areas of Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam. Another study conducted by Islam et al. (2022) [6] on small scale Kamrupa birds where they reared in three different system of management and observed that birds in intensive system up to 72 nd week of age laid 185 nos., those reared in semi-intensive system produced 160 nos. and those reared in scavenging system produced 120 nos. of eggs.

Mortality rate

Average mortality rate of birds reared in Machang type house was comparatively lower than those reared in deep litter system. However, no significant (p>0.05) difference was observed (Table 1). Although not significant but a lower mortality rate was recorded for birds those reared in Machang type house than those in deep litter housing. This might be the effect of housing design of Machang type house that impact in reduction of mortality rate in birds. The present finding on mortality rate of Kamrupa birds are in www.extensionjournal.com agreement with the reports of Islam et al., (2014) [5] and Niranjan and Singh (2005) [13] , who had reported the mortality rate of Kamrupa birds under different management system ranges between 0-15 percent. Much lower mortality rate of Kamrupa bird was also reported in the study of Kalita et al., (2016) [7] and Sarmah et al., (2024) [10] compared to the present study. [6] who calculated profit/Kamrupa bird reared in semi-intensive system as Rs. 321.81 and the B:C ratio as 1.45. Conversely, a higher B:C ratio (2.55) than the present study was reported by Sarmah et al., (2024) [10] . Comparatively lower B:C ratio also reported by Kalita et al., (2016) [7] in Kamrupa birds reared in semi-intensive and free range system.

Economics of rearing

Conclusion

In the above study, it has been observed that performance of Kamrupa birds those reared in Machang type house was better in terms of body weight gain, total numbers egg production in a laying season than in the deep litter house. Lower mortality was also observed in birds reared in Machang type. Net profit and B:C ratio was found to be higher in birds reared in Machang type than in deep litter house. Thus it may be conclude that Machang type house may be an alternative and better housing design for the small scale poultry farmers of flood affected areas enhancing livelihood support and nutritional security of the backyard poultry keepers.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors gratefully acknowledge the help and required www.extensionjournal.com support provided by ICAR. Further, heartfelt thanks and gratitude are extended to Assam Agricultural University for constant support. Moreover, authors are also thankful to the farmers who engaged themselves to carry out the experiment.

References

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