National breed conservation award for 2021

The National Breed Conservation Award for 2021 was presented, recently.

Key Points

• The award has been bagged by “All-India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP)” on poultry breeding, Mannuthy, which carried under the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University (KVASU).
• It received the prestigious award from ICAR – the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) for the cause of conservation and research activities on Tellicherry breed.
• Tellicherry breed is the only registered native chicken breed in the state of Kerala.
• The award carries a prize money of Rs 10,000 and a citation.
• Award was presented at the Kisan Divas celebrations, which was organised by ICAR-NBAGR recently.

About the National Breed Conservation Award

The National Breed Conservation Award was established by ICAR – NBAGR. It was established for centres or projects which contribute towards conservation and improvement of registered Indian breeds of domestic poultry and livestock.

Conservation of Tellicherry Breed

• The AICRP started conserving the Tellicherry breed in 2014. This breed started laying eggs in five months through scientific selection and management. As a result of the research, annual egg production increased to 160-170 eggs.
• AICRP also started the genetic characterisation of the Tellicherry breed. It played an important role in recognition of the breed.

Tellicherry Chicken Breed

Tellicherry breed of Chicken derives its name from the name of a place in Kerala called Tellicherri, which is also known as Thalassery in Kannur district. The breed is found mainly in Kozhikode district, while few are available in surrounding areas of Kannur and Malappuram districts. They are reared mainly for meat. They are also used in preparation of ayurvedic medicines to treat asthma and worm infestation.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2021