Breed Improvement in Livestock:
Community in the project
villages are rearing large & small animals as well as
poultry. As a part of our strategy the FGDs / IFPRAs were conducted in order to find out the cost benefit ratio. It was found that a households having 8-10 deshi poultry birds used to get increased by 5-7 in number within one year. As a part of rotation within a year the male birds were sold in the market with an earning of Rs. 70-100 per bird. But when the same calculation was told to them for the
improved breeds
viz RIR (Rhode Island Red), Giriraja, Girirani, Kadaknath etc. then it was very alluring for them to posses these breeds. Simultaneously, these breeds’ posses better characteristics i.e. early sexual maturity, less mortality, disease resistant, heavy body weight, good egg production, high market value & good environmental adaptability. Looking in to the felt need and demand raised by the community, project has distributed 4000 Giriraja, Girirani, 248 Kadaknath & 480 RIR chicks to the group members on individual as well as group basis.
Now as a result the percentage of deshi breed is gradually replaced by the F1, F2 & F3
generation of parent as well crossed species. The earning from these improved breeds has increased by approximately 50%. This impact has given the community an insight to make it a part of their earning, for which they started to collect the egg for hatching. The families those who have sufficient birds have now started selling these eggs to the other farmers for replication of the afore mentioned. These eggs are in great demand, not only in the village but also in the neighboring villages.
When these birds were seen by the people of district administration then it was very fascinating for them to see a bird having bright – multi colours with body weight up till 6-7 kgs. These birds gradually become an agenda of discussion in their gatherings. Later on GVT was approached by the administration to give the detail of the same for dissemination in non-project villages also.
Similarly same process was applied in the case of Goatry also. Till date project has distributed 254 Sirohi & 124 Jamunapari parent stock (Doe & Bucks) in the groups. At present the percentage population of the Sirohi is approximately 40% (F2 generation received) & 15% (F1 generation kidded) of Jamunapari. The group members have started selling the Sirohi buck to other groups for cross breeding programme. The preference of community for adopting these goats is due to its characteristics like early sexual maturity, high milk-production, less feed intake, disease resistance, low mortality, maximum twining, good market value due to heavy body weight, etc.
These does are producing 70% more milk than the desi non-descript does. Also the community has sold all the deshi non-descript bucks from their villages in to the market so that all the coming generation would be of the improved breeds of Jamunapari & Sirohi only.
Our poultry & Goatry programme has contributed considerably in enhancing the livelihood of community. In some families, this source has become a primary source of income for their families. Also it is a ready crop with them, which can be encashed at the time of need.
Dr. D. N. Sarkar