Evaluation of D08 chicken variety in field and farm conditions of Tripura

The D08 variety developed by Project Directorate on Poultry, Hyderabad for rural poultry production was evaluated. A total of 665 fertile eggs procured from P.D.P., Hyderabad (A.P.) were set in the incubator and 436 chicks were hatched out. The chicks were brooded on the deep litter system at the Institute farm upto 6 weeks of age, there after 50% of all the survived chicks were distributed to the farmers of Baghma village of South Tripura district for rearing in backyard system. The growth and production performance of D08 was studied at both the locations viz. farm and field conditions. The mean body weights at 20 weeks of age were 2.292 ± 0.036 kg, 1.760±0.035 kg and 1.976±0.035 kg, respectively for male, female and combined sex at the farm and the corresponding body weights in field condition were 1.758±0.028 kg, 1.537±0.015 kg and 1.598±0.017 kg, respectively. Significant differences at farm and field condition for mean body weights at different ages were observed. The cumulative feed consumption upto 6 weeks of age was 1.178 kg. The feed consumption per day between 19–20 and 39–40 weeks of age were 133.31 g/bird and 168.30±2.35 g/bird, respectively. The higher feed consumption of D08 variety at all the ages may be due to higher body weight of the bird. The age at first egg was 156 days and 178 days, respectively at farm and field condition. The egg production upto 40 weeks of age was 62.74 and 32.50 eggs, respectively at farm and field condition. The estimated mean of the shape index, percent albumin ratio, albumin index, percent yolk ratio, yolk index and Haugh unit were 75.78±0.49, 59.56±0.49, 0.062± 0.001, 33.43±0.40, 0.47±0.003 and 81.93±0.98, respectively.