CHENNAI: Before the broiler took centre stage as a favourite in homes and restaurants, most poultry farms bred a variety of chickens for their eggs and meat. Just recently, visitors to the Madras Veterinary College were treated to a display of some chicken breeds indigenous to the region. One could spot breeds like Siruvidai, Peruvidai, TANUVAS-Assel, Kadaknath, Nicobari and Nandanam, and a number of other cross breeds.
The event, a two-day conference titled ‘Relevance of Climate Smart Traditional Farming Systems in the Era of Omics’, was a bid to encourage poultry farmers to take up breeding native varieties of chicken. It was organised by the Directorate of Centre for Animal Production Studies and Indian Poultry Science Association (Tamil Nadu Chapter) at the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) at the Conference Hall, Madras Veterinary College.
Prof Ravinder Reddy, vice-chancellor, PV Narasimha Rao Telangana Veterinary University, Hyderabad, inaugurated the event. Dr RN Chatterjee, director ICAR - Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad, and Prof P Tensingh Gnanaraj, registrar, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, were present during the inauguration and addressed the gathering.