Productive and Reproductive Performance of Vanaraja Birds Reared by Tribal Community of Dhemaji District of Assam

Productive and reproductive performances in terms of body weight, age at first egg, egg production, egg weight, fertility, hatchability and mortality of Vanaraja and Desi chicken of Assam were studied under traditional system of rearing and their respective values were compared between two varieties. The Vanaraja birds were given to rear under the demonstration programme of the Dhemaji KVK to the farmers of tribal communities like Bodo, Mising and Sonowal tribes of the district. The overall mean body weight was significantly (P≤0.05) higher in Vanaraja than Desi chicken. The mean age at first egg was recorded as 181.05±1.52 in Vanaraja and in Desi chicken it was 203.31±3.13 d which was significantly (P≤0.05) different. The mean egg production up to 32, 40, 52 and 72 wk of age in Vanaraja were recorded as 32.13±0.11, 50.08±0.32 89.29±1.02 and 181.12±1.53 numbers, respectively and in case of Desi chicken, the corresponding values were recorded as 11.21±0.03, 25.82±0.18, 42.57±0.72 and 76.27±0.85, respectively. The mean egg weight of Vanaraja at 32, 40 and 52 wk of age was also significantly (P≤0.05) higher than Desi birds. However, there was no significant difference in mortality rates between two groups during 6 to 30 and 31 to 52 wk of age. There was also no significant (P≤0.05) difference in fertility and hatchability percent between two genetic groups. Therefore, it may be concluded that Vanaraja birds were adapted well under traditional backyard rearing system among the tribal communities in Dhemaji district of Assam.