Indbro Develops Lines for Low-Input Poultry Systems
INDIA - The Government of India is encouraging the private sector to undertake pure line breeding work within the country, with the aims to reduce dependency on imports and the health risks associated with importation, as well as to develop the technological capability of the country to export breeding stock.
31 October 2011
3 minute read
There is wide variation in the environment, housing systems and the feed used in tropical and the Western countries, and top quality agricultural inputs will be channelled towards the growing human population rather than poultry in future. Birds bred in tropical countries with marginal inputs perform better in the tropics but also excel when the environment is improved. This genotype × environment interaction provides an opportunity to breed the birds in India. The technical and non-technical manpower required for the poultry breeding work is available in India at a reasonable cost.
Indbro Research & Breeding Farms Pvt. Ltd is a company promoted by self-employed technocrat, Dr T. Kotaiah, in the state of Andhra Pradesh with a vision to fit with these changing conditions. The company, founded in the year 2000, got its 'In House R&D Unit' registered with DSIR in 2004.
The company focused on the development of a broiler, which involves female lines with improved laying efficiency as well as growth rate. The male lines can be bred exclusively for growth and feed efficiency by reducing the focus on egg production.
These two lines are crossed to produce the 'Indbrofast Broiler', which has fast growth, low mortality, excellent feed conversion efficiency and a good meat yield.
Establishing a production line and producing breeding stocks free from vertically transmissible diseases is another challenge in the process of commercialisation. The company has taken up serology work to eliminate these diseases from the breeding flocks.
Around 20 per cent of all India's poultry in India remain as 'backyard poultry' in rural areas, which are grown by the housewife without special inputs. These birds are a source of nutritious food in the form of eggs and chicken for the family and also earn income for the housewife.
Indbro Research & Breeding Farms Pvt. Ltd has focused on development of 'Rainbow Rooster', a multi-coloured and dual-purpose 'low technology input' bird. These birds can also be used to produce organic chicken on basic feed without chemical or antibiotic feed additives.
The Technology Development Board of the Government of India is supporting the development and commercialisation of the product.
