Kadaknath : An Important Poultry Breed to Improve Health as well as Economy

Introduction

The Indian poultry sector has been emerged from backyard rearing into major commercial agricultural-livestock based industry in last four decades. Consistent improvement of breeds and producing new strains along with standardized managemental practices, nutrition, disease control has contributed to growth in both egg and broiler production. The organized poultry sector contributes 70% and the unorganized sector contributes 30% to the total poultry output.

Within the poultry sector the broiler sector contributes two-third and layer accounts one-third of the output. Poultry genetic diversity across world is decreasing due to commercialization of intensive broiler and layer, less attention has been paid towards indigenous chicken, due to its poor production.

Backyard and small-scale poultry rearing which secures nutritional, food and economical security for small and marginal farmers is compromised due to intensive rearing system. In India, backyard poultry farming touches on social, cultural, and economic aspect of the typical rural or tribal household. In the vast majority of rural and tribal communities, keeping chickens either as indigenous breeds or crossbreds under a scavenging system of backyard farming is still a common practise.

In rural or tribal settings, the birds are raised utilising a scavenging system in small units with minimal feed supplementation, no housing, and no disease control facilities. Current scenario shows attention has shifted to natural and healthy foods which resulted in renewed interest in native chickens. One of indigenous breed poultry is kadaknath which is famous for its unique black nutritious meat.

The demand for of Kadaknath meat has increased after Corona pandemic due to the expectations of the improved immunity status of human beings. Medicinal values of kadaknath meat and egg along with high degree of resistance for disease and climatic condition attracts entrepreneurs as well as farmers. This article highlights quality of meat and eggs as well as emphasize kadaknath rearing with minimal input with high output.

Breed description

Kadaknath is an indigenous poultry breed which belongs to Dhar and Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as “kalamasi” means black coloured meat. Kadaknath is famous for black colour and unique characters of meat and egg. Kadaknath have black skin, legs and feathers, purple colour tongue, comb and wattles, and grey to black coloured internal organs.

Meat of kadaknath is black in colour due to deposition of melanin pigment which is called as  fibromelanosis. There are 202 registered breeds of livestock and poultry in India out of which only kadaknath get geographical index. Earlier kadaknath was reared by tribals and its blood and meat were used in treatment of various disease. Kadaknath become a popular due to its meat and egg quality.

Nutritive value of kadaknath makes it distinct from other poultry breeds. There are three available varieties of kadaknath which are golden, jet black and pencilled. Male and female birds have black blue plumage. Male weighs 1.5-2 kg while female weighs from 1-1.5 kg. Females start laying at age of six months and shell of kadaknath egg is light brown in colour. Females are poor layers and lay only 105-110 eggs annually in 2-3 clutches. Females are poor brooders so eggs are kept under other hens for hatching.

Average weight of egg at 40 week of age is 49 grams. This breed is resistant to extreme climatic conditions and can survive in poor managemental conditions with minimal input in housing and feeding. Kadaknath breed have higher degree of disease resistance compared to other exotic breeds of fowl.

Nutritional quality of kadaknath meat and eggs

Meat of kadaknath is black in colour due to deposition of melanin pigment and called as fibromelanosis. Black meat is rich in Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, along with vitamins Kadaknath meat contains calcium, phosphorus and iron. Kadaknath meat has lower fat content opposed to commercial chicken. The cholesterol content of white leghorn meat is 218.12 mg/100gm while in kadaknath it is only 184.75 mg/100gm of meat. Meat of kadaknath contains eighteen amino acids out of which eight are essential for human body and black meat contains 24% linoleic acid compared to 21% in White leghorn meat.

Healthy eating is being considered for better immunity after global COVID-19 pandemic. Histidine containing dipeptides(HCD) are group of polypeptides which have anti-inflammatory, antiglycating and antioxidative properties. These polypeptides protect mammalian cells from oxidative damage. Consumption of these HCD improve immunity by enhancing function of cells of immune system and hence improves the immunological defence of humans against bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral infections. These bioactive compounds are present in meat and absent in vegetarian diets. Poultry meat is rich in HCD compared to beef, pork and fish. Kadaknath meat is rich source of carnosine which have strong anti-oxidant and anti-glycatic property and kadaknath meat can be suggested for treatment of various diseases.

Eggs are cheap source of protein with high biological value. Specific gravity, albumen% and shell% found higher in Kadaknath when compared to another indigenous breed Aseel. Yolk to albumen ratio of Kadaknath eggs was lower than Aseel eggs which means low yolk% in Kadaknath eggs. This indicates that protein content of Kadaknath egg is more than Aseel egg and these eggs are beneficial to consumers which are conscious about cholesterol intake. Biochemical analysis between Kadaknath eggs and White leghorn revealed that yolk of kadaknath contain lower egg yolk cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein.

Meat quality	Kadaknath	Commercial broiler/layer
Protein %	24-25	18-20
Fat%	1.94-2.6	13-20
Cholesterol (mg/100 gm meat)	184.75	218.12
Carnosine (breast) (mg/g of tissue)	5.46-7.11	2.11-3.39
Egg quality
Egg yolk cholesterol (mg/g)	8.24 − 8.81	13.55
High density lipoprotein (mg/g)	1.00 − 2.39	5.58
Low density lipoprotein (mg/g)	0.04 − 0.35	7.67

Table showing comparison between quality of meat and egg of kadaknath and white leghorn.                      (source-NRC on Meat, Hyderabad and Kumar et al.2018)

How Kadaknath rearing can improve economic status of farmers?

Commercial poultry farming requires large economic input which is not possible for small and marginal farmers. Most of small farmers choose poultry farming as backyard or secondary activity. Extensive or free-range rearing requires less investment in food and shelter, instead of poor managemental practices kadaknath perform good in extensive system as well as semi-intensive system and due to good meat and egg quality it fetches high price in market. Egg can fetch upto Rs.12 and bird can fetch upto Rs. 500. Here economics for 100 birds is calculated to provide rough idea about kadaknath rearing in semi-intensive system without considering cost of housing, and labour.

	Kadaknath rearing under semi-intensive system
Cost of day old chicks Cost of kadaknath chicks@40rs/chick	100 x 40= 4000/-
Cost of feed upto 30 days 1.8 kg of feed per bird reared under intensive system with cost of feed 35rs/kg	100 x 1.8 x 35= 6300/-
Cost of rearing of birds from day 30 to 180(24 weeks) 20 gram feed/bird/day rearing in semi-intensive system with cost of feed 35 rs/kg	2 x 150 x 35= 10,500/-
Cost of rearing females from 24 to 64 weeks age(10 months) 30 gram feed/bird/day rearing in semi intensive system with cost of 40 rs/kg	45 x 10 x 40= 18000/-
Cost of vaccine, medicine, feed supplements etc@ 50 rs/bird	x 100= 5000/-
A. Total expenses/Cost of production	43800/-
Income from sale of 6 month male birds with average body weight of 1.5 kg@ 500 rs/bird	50 x 500= 25000/-
Income from sale of eggs @ 12rs/egg	50 x 100 x 12= 60000/-
Income from sale of spent hen@100rs/hen	50 x 100= 5000/-
B. Gross income	90000/-
Net Income (B-A)	46200/-
Profit/bird	462/-

Conclusion

Poultry sector has been evolved as major industry because of increased demand of egg and meat. Eggs and meat are cheap and easily available source of protein. Kadaknath is an important indigenous breed which have good egg as well as meat quality. After global pandemic healthy eating is emphasised which increased market demand of kadaknath. Increased demand of kadaknath creates opportunity of kadaknath rearing. As kadaknath is a disease resistant and sturdy breed, it can grow in free range or semi-intensive system with minimum input and provide good output. 

Kadaknath : An Important Poultry Breed to Improve Health as well as Economy

 Anmol Pareek¹, Asma Khan², Biswajit Brahma³, Dipanjali Konwar³

¹M.V.Sc Scholar, ² Professor and Head, ³Professor

Division of Livestock production management

F.V.Sc&AH, SKUAST-Jammu