4. Complete Activity 12.4 (Page 148). Visit a local poultry farm. Observe types of breeds and note the type of ration, housing and lighting facilities given to them. Identify the growers, layers and broilers.
Answer:
I visited a local poultry farm in Punjab. The types of breeds of poultry in the farm are given below:
Indigenous Breeds: Kadaknath, Aseel, and Vanaraja. They are known for their adaptability to local climatic conditions and disease resistance against common poultry diseases.
Hybrid Breeds: White Leghorn and Cobb Broilers. White Leghorns are known for their egg production and Cobb Broilers have the highest meat quality in the industry.
Ration, Housing, and Lighting Facilities:
Ration: The poultry are provided with a balanced diet consisting of locally available cereals like rice, maize, wheat along with protein sources like soybean meal, and mineral supplements.
Housing: The houses were well-ventilated with adequate space and were built to protect against extreme weather conditions. They were divided into sections to separate different groups of birds based on age, breed, or purpose (e.g., layers, broilers). The houses were made of concrete and had sliding windows to prevent the birds from roosting.
Lighting Facilities: Artificialred light was used to stimulate layers to lay eggs and manipulate egg size. Blue light was used for broiler chickens because it keeps the birds calmer and reduces stress. Another function of light was to extend daylight hours during winter months.
Growers: These are young poultry birds which are 8-20 weeks of age and are raised separately from mature layers and broilers.
Layers: These are mature hens used only for egg production. They are kept in special nesting areas where they lay eggs.
Broilers: Broilers are specialised breeds which are meant for meat production.
“Visit a local poultry farm. Observe types of breeds and note the type of ration, housing and lighting facilities given to them. Identify the growers, layers and broilers.” – Solved.
Related Links:
Solution to Activity 12.1
Solution to Activity 12.2
Solution to Activity 12.3
Solution to Activity 12.4
Solution to Activity 12.5
Solutions to Chapter 12 Improvement in Food Resources
