Poultry 

Production and rearing of hens on a large scale is generally called poultry. 50 billion hens are reared worldwide for eggs and chicken. We know that farmers rear cocks and hens in villages. Most of these are local varieties (Natukollu). We get 74% chicken and 64% of eggs only from poultry farms. Poultry has emerged as one of the major industries in last two decades. India achieved 4th position in the world by producing 41.06 million eggs per annum. And also placed in

         Local verieties

5th position for production of meat about 1000 million kgs per annum.

• Are the hens reared in the poultry is same as our traditional varieties reared by farmers in the villages?

Generally poultry farms are of two types. One is for production of eggs and other for meat. Broilers are commonly used variety in poultry. They are reared for meat. Layer are reared for the production of eggs.

Natural, wild varieties grow fully in 5 to 6 months. But broilers grow fully in just 6 to 8 weeks. This happens due to genetic modification in the hens. New Hampshire, white Plymouth, Rhode island red, white leg horn, Anoka are the foreign varieties of meat giving species.

• Think and discuss – Is genetically modified food useful or not?

              Broiler, Layer