Backyard poultry production and consumption in scheduled caste community: an ex-post facto study in Mancherial and Guntur district of Telugu states of India

Poultry production and consumption

Abstract

An Ex-post Facto study was conducted to study the farmers socio-economic profile, poultry production status and consumption pattern of poultry produce before intervention in Shankarpur village of Mancherial district in Telangana and Inturu village of district Guntur in Andhra Pradesh (A. P.) among Scheduled Caste households (SC). Total 140 households (from Shankarpur 73 and 67 from Inturu) were selected randomly for the study. Majority of the respondents were of middle age group, involved in laborer activity and illiterate having no previous poultry farming experience. About 56.7% respondents of Inturu village were keeping poultry with flock size of 6.7 birds whereas in Shankarpur village 17.8% respondents were keeping poultry with average flock size 7.6 birds. Previous experience of poultry farming in family, household income and family size were positively contributing for adopting poultry farming occupation whereas landholding factor contributed negatively.  About 17% respondents were keeping their birds purely on scavenging and 20 % household did not offer water to birds (drainage water intake). In the study area only 21.1% respondents were providing vaccination and deworming sometimes for one or more diseases. Majority of flocks were reported illness in rainy and summer season (45% each) and 10% in winter.  In the study area total mortality in the chicken was found to be 18.1% in which 7.2 % was due to predator attack and 10.8% due to diseases and other reasons.   Egg intake was found to be 0.31 egg/person/day and chicken meat intake was found to be 8.63 kg/person/year in the study area.