Back to: Animal Husbandry SS 1
BREEDS, CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF SOME FARM ANIMALS
1. POULTRY
Introduction: Poultry refers to the group of birds reared for food and other purposes. These include domestic fowls turkeys, goose, guinea fowls and ducks. These birds are reared mainly for meat, eggs and manure. They are non-ruminants.
Terminology Used in Poultry male fowl above one year of age.
Cock – male fowl above one year of age.
Cockerel – male fowl below one year of age.
Hen – female fowl above one year of age.
Pullet – female fowl below one year of age.
Chick – A young fowl (0-6 weeks old).
Capon – A castrated male fowl.
Caponisation – Process of castration in fowl.
Treading – Act of mating in fowl.
Grower – fowl between 7 and 19 weeks of age.
Layer – female fowl over 20 weeks of age that can lay eggs.
Broiler – fowl reared for meat.
Clutch – A group of young chicks.
Flock – A group of fowls.
Chicken – meat of fowl.
BREEDS OF DOMESTIC FOWLS The various species of fowl may have had a common ancestor, the primitive fowl called
Gallus Gallus: From the outset, poultry was grouped into two major types. These are:
(a) The Pullet: These groups of poultry were reared mainly for egg production. They were kept for about 1-1.5 years
(b) The Broiler: These groups of poultry were kept mainly for meat production and they were kept for about 6-8 months.
Poultry birds are generally grouped into three major breeds which are (1) The egg producer, (2) The meat producers and (3) The dual purposes.
(1) The Egg Producers: These Breeds of fowl are reared mainly to provide eggs for human consumption and other purposes. Examples include the white leghorn and brown leghorn.
(2) The Meat Producers: These birds also called the broilers, are reared mainly to provide eggs for human consumption and other purposes. Examples include the Sussex, Cornish and Cochin.
(3) The Dual Purpose Birds: These fowl are reared both for egg and meat production. Rock and New Hampshire.
Examples include Rhode Island Red, Plymouth
Summary of Breeds of Fowl
(i) White leghorn – best egg producer
(ii) Brown leghorn – egg producer
(iii) Barred Plymouth rock – egg and meat producer.
(iv) Astrawp-egg and meat producer
(v) Rhode Island Red – egg and meat producer
(vi) Plymouth Rock – egg and meat producer (vii) New Hampshire – egg and meat producer
(viii) Sussex – good meat producer
(ix) Cornish-good meat producer
(x) Cochin – good meat producer
(x) Cochin – good meat producer
Economic Importance of Poultry
1) Poultry, especially the broilers, help to provide meat which is a source of protein enu for man.
2) Poutry, especially the pullets provide eggs which serve as food and other purposes to man.
3) Poultry also provide manure from the dungs which serve as fertilizers to crop farmers.
4) The feathers from poultry serves as pillow cases and decoration of homes.
5) Poultry also generate income for farmers.
6) Poultry also provide employment to many people,e.g. poultry farmers.
7) Poultry products such as eggs are used for industrial purposes for examples eggs are used in the pharmaceutical industies in the production of vaccines.
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