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'GIRIRAJA' - the background
India's backyard poultry population over the last 30 years has increased only by
16% (from 64 to 76 million). Hence there was a need to develop suitable strain for harsh rural environment. Women in millions, who are living in rural/ tribal households, keep poultry in their backyard in India. Rural poultry development programme provide women and youth suitable employment and stable income opportunities. Traditional poultry production system, mainly managed by rural women, who preferably keeps desi fowl, which could be easily manageable under free range system. Adoption of free-range system minimizes the input cost in the form of locally available grains in the farmyard, insects, worms, leftover household, and kitchen waste by scavenging. This system would ensure food security to the malnourished, underprivileged, rural population. Poultry rearing also serves as efficient waste disposal by converting left over form byproducts in to valuable animal protein in the form of egg and meat. All the above factors contribute to the rural economy.
The ancestral wild jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), despite its wide genetic contribution in the development of modern fowls, is poor in egg production and body weight. However it is still the main stay of fowls among India's rural masses and tribals because of its virtue of assemblages of plumage patterns, fighting qualities for sports (cock fighting) and producing high quality meat and eggs.
Our country needs to have a bird suitable to rural poor, small and marginal farmers, nomads, who are deprived of technical know-how and other inputs for modern poultry rearing. This section of people require a type of poultry symbolical to local /desi (indigenous) birds - having colored plumage patterns, adoptability to local harsh environment, scavenging habit, disease resistance and to produce more eggs and meat
The country is in need to have bird suitable to rural poor like agricultural laborers, small and marginal farmers, nomadics and tribals, who are deprived of the technical know-how and other inputs for poultry rearing. These section of people require a strain of poultry symbolical to local / desi bird in plumage pattern, adaptability to local environment, scavenging, disease resistance and at the same time to give more egg and meat
Keeping in view the above factors and the importance of poultry farming under rural environment, Scientists at the Dept.of Poultry Science, University of Agricultural
Sciences (UAS), Bangalore initiated the first such breeding programme in the year 1980, utilizing the available exotic breeds.
Genetic make up of GIRIRAJA
The ancestral wild jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), despite its wide genetic contribution in the development of modern fowls is however poor in egg production and body size. Nevertheless it is still the main stay of fowls among tribals because of its virtues of assemblages of plumage patterns, fighting qualities for sports (cock fighting) and high quality of meat and eggs.
Keeping these attributes of the jungle fowl in view as well as added qualities of higher production (meat and egg) and better adoptability to environmental conditions, breeding programme to develop GIRIRAJA was initiated during the year 1980 using exotic broiler breeds namely: White Plymouth Rock, Red Cornish and New Hampshire. Reciprocally crossing of the two-broiler parent strain with different plumage colours, and after two-generation selection for body weight and egg production in single crosses, the females were crossed to another elite broiler breeds having genes for sex-linked gold. The three way crosses thus developed were maintained by further subjecting them to selection for improvement in body weight, egg production and plumage pattern. This synthetic population was tested under rural/village condition and has proved for its quality, production and resistance to environmental stresses under different village conditions.
Many years of continuous efforts on breeding programme have resulted in the development of a synthetic strain - 'GIRIRAJA'- which stands for the king of the jungle fowl. Special features of this strain are its attractive plumage pattern, a mixture of pea size and single comb, scavenging habits and attractive body. It yields three times more eggs and meat, compared to local /desi birds. Other features are low mortality and easily adaptable to adverse environment, capable of acclimatization and resistance to many diseases except Ranikhet (Newcastle). Hon'ble Shri Hari Krishna Shastri, the then Minister of State for Agricultural Research and Education, Government of India, released this miracle fowl on 30th May 1989 at Bangalore.
Special features of 'GIRIRAJA'
1. Attractive colorful plumage with an admixture of single and pea shaped comb as is commonly seen in native / desi fowl.
2. Segregating for feather patterns, namely Colombian, restriction, barring, lacing, red on white coat, completely black and partly patterned within feathers and these colours are represented in native fowls.
3. Improved growth, egg production, egg size, hatchability and resistance to environmental stresses and diseases except Ranikhet.
4. Breeds well in captivity unlike native birds and do so even under semi -range and range system.
All the above features make GIRIRAJA, an ideal one for rearing among the poverty stricken rural population, tribals / nomads and landless labourers. Indeed it is their 'Miracle fowl'
Salient anatomical features
Plumage
colour: Columbian restriction, Barring, Mottling, Spangling and Lacing, Black Speckled on white, autosomal red and Buff
Comb: Admixture of both single and pea comb, as seen in native/desi fowls.
Shank length: 6 to 8 cm.
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Details of economic traits of Giriraja |
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A |
Chick particulars |
In farms |
In field conditions |
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Colour pattern |
Mixture of black Light brown, Ash |
Liporoum,
Ash,Black, White and Red |
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Weight of chick at day old (g) |
42 - 43 |
41 - 42 |
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Survival up to 4 weeks (%) |
96 - 98 |
82 - 85 |
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Feed consumptionPer chick up to 4 weeks (g) |
1600 - 1800 |
N.A |
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B |
Grower particulars |
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|
|
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Plumage pattern
(colour) |
Mottling, lacing Speckle, Barred, Columbian |
Buff, Restricted Light Brown Barring, |
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Weight at 8 weeks (g) |
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|
|
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Males |
1500 |
1600 |
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Females |
1300 |
1400 |
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Survival
8 weeks (%) |
96 |
88 |
|
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Feed
consumption (Kg) per bird |
3.5
to 4.0 |
Scavenging |
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C |
Layer
Particulars |
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|
|
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Age
at 151 egg (days) |
165-168 |
170-180 |
|
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Age
at 50% Prodn (days) |
182-190 |
190-200 |
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Egg
weight at egg Prodn (gr) |
45-48 |
42-46 |
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Egg
Production (No) |
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|
|
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At
40 weeks |
75 |
65-70 |
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At
64 weeks |
130-150 |
120-130 |
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Survival
in the field (%) |
88 |
82 |
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Fertility
(%) |
88 |
82 |
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Hatchability
(%) |
85 |
78 |
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Colour
of the eggs |
Light
Brown/Tinted |
Tinted
/ Light Brown |
|
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Egg
weight (g) |
52-55 |
48-52 |
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Broodiness |
Nil |
Not
observed |
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Comparative performance of Desi (Native) and Synthetic Giriraja birds |
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Characteristic |
Desi
(Native) fowl |
Synthetic
- GIRIRAJA |
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Eight
weeks body weight (g) |
400
to 600 |
1300
to 1400 |
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Feed
efficiency (ratio) |
1:3.2 |
1:2.4 |
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Survivability
at 8 weeks (%) |
80
to 90 |
95
to 98 |
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Dressed
weight (%) |
65
to 68 |
75 |
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Age
at sexual maturity (days) |
198
to 215 |
166 |
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Body
weight at 280 days (Kg) |
1.3
to 1.5 |
3.0
to 3.5 |
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Egg
Production |
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1.
Up to 280 days (numbers) |
16 |
73 |
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2.
Up to 500 days (numbers) |
65
to 68 |
120
to 150 |
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Egg
weight (g) |
42
to 45 |
50
to 55 |
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Fertility
(%) |
80
to 85 |
85
to 90 |
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Hatchability
(%) |
45
to 50 |
80
to 85 |
Stock multiplication
1. Source of hatching of fertile eggs - Animal Husbandry and NGO's produce hatching eggs, supply them to needy farmers who have brooding facilities.
2. Farmers - collect fertile / hatching eggs from UAS Poultry Science Department or from NGO's to hatch them under local desi broody hens.
3. Agencies involved in multiplication of chicks etc. were State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, NGO's, Voluntary Institutions and Department of Poultry Science,
UAS, Bangalore.
Management at farm level
Chick starter feed given during brooding and up to 6 to 8 weeks of age before they distributed to farmers. Ranikhet vaccination practiced. A balanced feed is to be given during brooding and partly during growing stage.
Simple management practices of rearing 'GIRlRAJA' under field conditions
It is beneficial and convenient for the farmers to get hatching eggs of Giriraja and set for hatching under broody local/ desi hens available with them in the villages. This practice would help them to brood young chicks. About 8 to 10 hatching eggs could be set under broody/local hens for hatching. Giriraja chicks are bigger in size, could not run away from predators like crows, eagle, kites, etc., hence, they have to be well protected by covering with bamboo baskets. Chicks are to be protected against Ranikhet (Newcastle) disease by vaccination with 'F' strain, at day-old and at six and eight weeks of age, Mukteshwar strain F-vaccination to be given, as being done to other birds. Sometime they have to be protected for fowl pox disease. No other vaccination is required.
Birds are let loose during day time in the open field, picking up grains in the threshing yard, worms and insects in the manure pits, greens in the field, where these are not available land less labourers - collecting kitchen waste from local hotels, left over food from houses and grains are fed.
When Giriraja grows to five months of age and before start laying eggs, Giriraja cocks may be introduced with them one cock to every six to eight pullets. Only Giriraja cocks be allowed for mating and the surplus cocks may be used for mating local /desi hens at different locality for upgrading them. Local / desi cocks should not be kept along with Giriraja pullets/ hens and they may be disposed for meat. Giriraja eggs can be hatched to produce chicks under local desi broody hen, where there are no artificial incubation/hatchery exist. Normal health cover practiced.
Health management under field condition
Ranikhet (Newcastle), fowl pox vaccinations and deworming at regular intervals are to be carried out by the local veterinarians and other voluntary organizations as preventive measures. So far Giriraja has not come across other diseases except Ranikhet, if the vaccination procedures are not strictly followed.
Stock multiplication
1. Source of hatching of fertile eggs - Animal Husbandry and NGO's produce hatching eggs, supply them to needy farmers who have brooding facilities.
2. Farmers - Collect fertile / hatching eggs from UAS. Poultry Science Department or NGO's and hatch them under local desi broody hens.
3. Agencies involved in multiplication of chicks etc.:
State Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Non-Government organizations, Voluntary Institutions and Department of Poultry Science, UAS. Bangalore.
What is 'GIRIRAJA' to villagers / tribals
These synthetic birds developed were given to many Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and State Animal Husbandry departments who are involved with rural upliftment programme. Extensive study was made through these organizations under different agro-climatic regions for their adaptability to produce eggs and meat.
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Giriraja eggs and chicks supplied to various districts of Karnataka state |
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a) |
Hatching eggs |
60,000 to 80,000 per year |
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b) |
Parent chicks to State Animal Husbandry Department and NGO's |
25,000 - 50,000 per year |
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c) |
NGO's and voluntary Institutions |
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|
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1) Hatching eggs |
25,000 - 35,000 per year |
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2) Giriraja chicks |
80,000 to 100,000 per year |
Participation of NGO's
MYRADA is one such NGO organization involved in rural development rehabilitation programme, since 1970. It has 15 projects in the state of Karnataka covering mainly backward areas. This organization has stood first in propagating GIRIRAJA birds among rural people by advocating the advantages of rearing these birds by which their economy and nutritional standards have improved. Giriraja birds have proved to be withstanding heavy rainfall, cold climatic conditions of Periyar district in Tamilnadu state, and low rainfall and high temperature areas of Gulbarga, Sira, Pavagada, Ananathpur in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Similar to MYRADA, the other NGO / voluntary organization such as Samaritan Service Center of Thrissur in Kerala; Action Aid and Aikya of Bangalore District; Samooha of Raichur; Rural Development Trust of Anathpur in Andhra Pradesh, Agricultural Development and Training Center of Bagepalli. Kolar Grameena Development Bank and Extension wing of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Karnataka have also played important role in supplying hatching eggs, day old chicks, grown up birds to the needy farmers and hence, GIRIRAJA is a well known bird today in southern India.
In addition to above places, hatching eggs or day-old chicks of GIRlRAJA birds are propagated in Midnapur district of West Bengal, rural parts (Bhopal) in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, Lakshadweep and Maldives Islands have procured for rural development programmes. This has proved that Giriraja - the Synthetic strain acclimatized to different agro-climatic conditions to benefit the backward area farmers.
Since, the production efficiency of Giriraja can be exploited even under different agro-climatic zones, there is increased demand for this bird from many parts of the country. Consolidated views of farmers, who received Giriraja strain through NGO's and other Governmental Agencies in different parts of the country could be summed up as follows:
1. 70 to 80 per cent hatchability by setting eggs with local/ desi broody hens was observed.
2. Scavenging at backyard, eating greens and grains in open field and worms in manure pits. Giriraja grows faster than local/desi birds weighing at 8 weeks about 1.25 to 1.50 kg. Adult birds weigh around 3.00 to 3.50 kg when matured.
3. Giriraja birds produced three times more eggs i.e., 120 to 150 eggs during their laying period. The eggs produced are bigger in size weighing 50 to 55 g.
4. Rural farmers earned more money by selling eggs for hatching at Rs. 3 to 4 per egg; layers for Rs. 120 to 130 and cocks for Rs. 200/- per bird.
5 Giriraja cockerels could be used to upgrade local desi as 'Stud males'.
6. Pledging / bartering Giriraja birds with other needs of farmers like seeds, fertilizers and other house hold articles.
Therefore, GIRIRAJA - the Synthetic strain of poultry, due to its various special features is a boon and realization of undreamt golden opportunity for the tribals as well as down trodden segment of the rural population. This enterprise can play an important role under rural upliftment of the tribals / nomads and landless labourers.
Problem faced in further improving the stock as per the requirement of the farmers
1. Object of developing this strain is to help the downtrodden living in the remote areas like tribals / nomadics, poor farmers landless labourers, etc., to earn their living and to improve their nutritional standards. State Animal Husbandry as well as the Central Government, State Animal Husbandry Development Departments have to come forward with the establishment of separate wing exclusively for this programmes in these areas.
2. Ever since this synthetic strain / Giriraja developed and released by the Department of Poultry Science, the demand has been very encouraging and some times it has become difficult to meet the requirement. Hence, suggestion made to meet the increased demand and actions to be taken to produce more number of chicks are stated in the next item.
Suggestions in propagating the stock to different states of India
State Animal Husbandry Departments and the private voluntary organizations, which came to know the release of GIRIRAJA strain through TV, radio and newspapers, have contacted the Department of Poultry Science, UAS, and Bangalore. In response, Department of Poultry Science suggested to these organizations to procure parent chicks and to produce the chicks to meet their demand. In addition, hatching eggs, supplied, whoever has the facilities for incubators / hatchers for producing chicks to meet their local farmers needs. In addition day-old chicks whenever available are being supplied to meet the farmers demand.
In addition neighboring Islands namely Lakshadweep and Maldives Government have also took hatching eggs as well as Giriraja chicks for the rural development project. Wherever NGO's having technical manpower and required infrastructure facilities, parent chicks have been supplied to meet their farmers' needs and demand. This has been very encouraging to help rural farmers to whom this synthetic strain was developed.
Future Projections
1. Greater emphasis to be given to maintain the sustainability of the strains developed for the rural poor.
2. Priority to be given to rural women in propagating Giriraja/other synthetic strains to improve their socio-economic status.
3. Greater involvement of Non Governmental Organizations (NGO's), Self-help groups be continued to alleviate poverty among rural poor.
4. Central Government, State Animal Husbandry Departments, ICAR institutions and Agricultural Universities spread over different regions be involved in the preservation of these synthetic strains and constant supply of good quality breeding flock to State Government Agencies and NGO's.
5. Research programmes to be intensified by Poultry Institutes and Universities to develop new suitable for harsh environment/backward areas.
6. Scientists who are involved in this type of programme should visit the areas where these strains are being reared, to get feed back from the farmers/users for further improvement, to take up further programme.
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