INTENSIVE REARING OF NATIVE CHICKEN FOR MEAT IN SOUTH INDIA: INTENSIVE REARING OF NATIVE CHICKEN

Intensive rearing of native chicken is in its primitive state with the farmers adopting management practices similar to commercial broiler production. The native chicken is sold to market at or after 13 weeks of age with a mean body weight, just below 1.3 kg. De-beaking is practised and vaccination schedule adopted is similar to broiler production. No specific feed formulation has been attempted so far and marketing is mostly through middleman. Meat quality and acceptability is almost similar to commercial broilers and however, intensively reared native chicken fetches premium price in market similar to those reared under free range system. Net profit and benefit : cost ratios were indicative of profitability in the business. Scientific formulation of feed and improvement in marketing efficiency will improve profitability in intensive rearing of native chicken.