Fowl fare

Ranchi, May 25: Eat desi chicken and stay healthy.

That’s the line that Birsa Agriculture University (BAU), Ranchi, is toeing at present to promote rearing of the native breed of the fowl, which is more nutritious than the broiler variety.

“We are encouraging farmers in the state to breed desi chickens in their backyards. Unlike the broiler variety, which is prone to bird flu and other diseases, desi fowls are sturdier. They can withstand frequent changes in temperature and are also cheap to rear,” said Sant Kumar Singh, the head of the department of animal genetics and nutrition at Ranchi Veterinary College under BAU. “At the same time, we are also asking consumers to abandon the broiler variety and switch over to more nutritious desi chickens,” Singh added.

Desi chickens are tastier and more nutritious as they feed in the open. Since these birds are active, they are able to take care of themselves and hence are not prone to diseases. Thousands of farm birds are culled every year to prevent the spread of bird flu. However, the dreaded disease has never been known to affect the desi birds.

The broiler variety, on the other hand, is raised and kept in controlled conditions as they are specially bred for meat production. Hence, their immune system is weaker.

Singh said that one major advantage of rearing desi chickens was that the breeding cost is low. There are no food expenses as they are the best of scavengers while the broiler variety has to be given costly feeds, which are required to be procured from the market.

“Desi chickens have a market price of Rs 125 to Rs 140 a kg whereas broilers cost Rs 55 to Rs 65 a kg. Since the cost of rearing is negligible, farmers can earn handsome profits if they rear the desi variety. To top it all, its demand is on the rise,” Singh added.

Singh revealed that BAU recently bagged a Rs 1.08-crore project from the Indian Council for Agriculture Research to produce newer varieties of desi chickens that can be reared by the rural folks in their backyards.