Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 11:
The Central Agricultural University (CAU), Iroishemba is providing chicks of Giriraja and Girirani breeds to trained farmers at subsidised rate.
These prolific egg laying breeds were developed at Bangalore a few years back.
These breeds of chickens are now produced at CAU in large numbers.
Talking to The Sangai Express, Head of Animal Science Department, CAU, M Dhaneshwar said that after rabbits, goats, Japanese quails and broilers were successfully reared in CAU under a one-time funding of the Union Government, integrated farming was successfully was taken up since 2005-06.Under the integrated farming programme, steps were taken up to avail Giriraja and Girirani breeds of chickens to local poultry farmers.
These breeds of chickens developed by a scientist at Bangalore as a synthetic bird can attain a weight of 4 to 5 kgs in six months.
Females of these breeds can attain 3 to 4 kgs during the same period.
A female Giriraja can lay 180 eggs in a year while Girirani females can lay up to 200 eggs.
It has been found that these breeds of chickens are quite suitable with the climatic conditions of Manipur, Dhaneshwar said.
As such, Giriraja and Girirani chicks are being hatched in considerable numbers at CAU.
Poultry farmers who have been imparted training for 20 days are being provided 50 chicks each at the subsidised rate of Rs 15 per chick, he added.