Indigenous Stock

Aseel


The literal meaning of Aseel is real or pure. Aseel is well known for its pugnacity, high stamina, majestic gait and dogged fighting qualities. The name Aseel appears to have been given to this indigenous breed because of its inherent qualities of fighting. The remarkable endurance of an Aseel even during the most critical stages of fight is proverbial as it prefers death to dishonour. It will let its blood to flow in a final frenzied flurry of slashing and pecking rather than to turn its tail before the foe. The Aseel is, therefore, known to every game lovers all over the world for these specific characteristics.

Andhra Pradesh is said to be the home of this important breed. The best specimen of this breed, although rare, are encountered with the fanciers and the people engaged in cock-fighting show through out the country.

Aseel is larger inbuilt with noble loking and dignified appearance. A good spcimen of an Aseel cock usually measure 28 inches from back to toe. The standard weight varies from 3 to 4 kg for cocks and 2 to 3 kg for hens. Pea comb are also occassionally encountered. The wattles are rudimentary and almost imperceptible. The beak is short and well curved. The face is long and not covered with feathers. The eyes are compact, wells et and present bold looks. The neck is long, uniformlyu thick but not fleshy. The body tail root. The general feathering is close, scanty and almost absent on the breast. The plumage has practically no fluff and the feathers are tough. The tail is small and the legs are strong, straight, clean and set well apart. The birds as a rule present upright material gait suggestive of strength and alertness. Aseel is larger in built with noble looking and dignified appearance.

Performance Profile

Body weight at 20 weeks (g) 1220
Age at sexual maturity (days) 196
Annual egg production (number) 92
Egg weight at 40 week (g) 50
Fertility (%) 66
Hatchability FES (%) 63

Frizzle


Frizzle fowls have oval body with well-developed comb and wattles. The skin is thin and pinkish pale in colour. The beak and shanks generally have no correlations with the plumage colour and are creamish pale in colour. The birds have single comb and earlobes are well developed with white spots on them. The eyes ae bright and well-developed. Plumage colours vary considerably among the birds but white, brown, black and mixed colour are most common.

Frizzle fowls are found all over the hot and humid coastal areas including Andaman Nicobar Islands. Good numbers of these birds are also available on high altitudes hilly tracts of North-Eastern states. It is said that birds have better adaptability to the hot and humid climatic conditions.

Performance Profile

Body weight at 20 weeks (g) 1005
Age at sexual maturity (days) 185
Annual egg production (number) 110
Egg weight at 40 week (g) 53
Fertility (%) 61
Hatchability FES (%) 71

Kadaknath



It is locally known as "Kalamasi" meaning the fowl having black flesh. Jhabua and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh and the adjoining districts of Rajasthan and Gujarat spreading over an area of about 800sq. miles is considered to be its home tract. These are mostly reared by tribals, adivasis and rural poor. It is considered to be a sacred bird and offered as sacrifice to Goddess after Diwali.

The colour of the day old chicks is bluish to black with irregular dark stripes over the back. The adult plumage varies from silver to gold spangled to blue black without any spangling. The skin, beak, shank, toes and soles of feet of males and females are dark gray colour. Even the comb, wattles and tongue also show a purplish hue. The shining blue tinge of the earlobes add to its unique features. The peculiarity of this breed is that most of the internal organs show the characteristic black pigmentation which is more pronounced in trachea, thoracic and abdominal air sacs, gonads, elastic arteries, at the base of the heart and mesentery. Varying degree of blackish colouration is also found in the skeletal muscles, tendons, nerves, meninges, brain and bone marrow. The black colour of muscles and tissues is due to the deposition of melanin pigment, a genetic condition called "Fibromelanosis".

The flesh of this breed though black and repulsive to look at, is considered not only a delicacy but also of medicinal value. The tribal uses Kadakanath blood in the treatment of chronic disease in human beings and its meat as aphrodisiac. The meat and eggs are reckoned to be a rich source of protein (25.47% in flesh) and iron.

Performance Profile

Body weight at 20 weeks (g) 920
Age at sexual maturity (days) 180
Annual egg production (number) 105
Egg weight at 40 week (g) 49
Fertility (%) 55
Hatchability FES (%) 52

Naked Neck


Naked neck is relatively larger in built with long cylindrical neck. As the name indicates, neck of the birds is fully naked or only a tuft of feathers is seen on the front of the neck above crop. The resulting bare skin becomes reddish particularly in males as they approach sexual maturity. General body feathering is also reduced. Various types of combs viz. pea, rose, walnut and single combs are seen. The beak is short and well curved. The face is long and not covered with feathers. The eyes are compact and well set. The skin is thin and pinkish in colour. The beak and shanks have no correlation with plumage colour. Main plumage colours are brown, black, white and mixture of brown and black. Due to the reduced feathering, the birds are capable to tolerate the tropical stress. It lays the biggest size eggs among all the Indian native breeds of chicken.

Trivundrum region of Kerala is considered to be the homeland of Naked neck but it is available throughout hot and humid coastal area including Andman and Nicobar island and North-Eastern states of the country in small numbers. People of these regions have great affinity for Naked neck birds due to their better adaptability to the hot and humid climatic conditions as well as for better taste and flavour of meat.

Performance Profile

Body weight at 20 weeks (g) 1005
Age at sexual maturity (days) 201
Annual egg production (number) 99
Egg weight at 40 week (g) 54
Fertility (%) 66
Hatchability FES (%) 71

UPCARI birds


Unique scavenging type birds developed with native breed base, having typical desi fowl look, better tropical adaptability and disease resistance, exceptional growth and production performance under managemental and feeding stress of backyard system of poultry production. Four varieties of UPCARI birds suitable for different agro-climatic conditions are available.

1. Kadakanath x Dehlam Red
2. Aseel x Dehlam Red
3. Naked Neck x Dehlam Red
4. Frizzle x Dehlam Red

Performance Profile

Age at sexual maturity 170-180 days
Annual egg production 165-180 eggs
Egg size 52-55 g
Egg colour Brown
Egg quality Excellent Internal quality
Livability Above 95%
Temperament Active and good forager