PATHANAMTHITTA: The ‘snow-white’, a hybrid duck breed developed at the Niranam Government Duck Farm, the hub of water-bird rearing in Upper Kuttanad, is on the verge of extinction following this year’s deadly avian influenza (H5N8).
“When they hatch, ducks are normally yellow. Eventually, in a month or so, they turn white. The snow white, on the other hand, is born with pure white feathers, which also gave rise to its name,” says Dr Thomas Jacob, former assistant director of the farm.
Dr Thomas, who was at the forefront of the research that resulted in the new breed, points out that it was the result of careful selection of crossbreeds. “This was done to ensure that it would be popular even as pets. Not all first-generation snow whites were white when they were born,” he recalls.
Chara and chemballi are two major breeds native to Kuttanad. A few yellow ducklings among them, known as Kuttanandan vella, turn white as they mature.
“They, however, struggle to survive in paddy fields and are not popular with farmers. But farmers aver that the vella produce more eggs, compared to other breeds. As a result, they would leave the ducklings to the care of the farm. This helped them thrive,” says Dr Thomas.
When these rare ducklings started to flourish at the farm, he had an idea to cross-breed them with vigova super M, a white, broiler variety from Vietnam, known for its superior meat.
The selective breeding was a grand success, as the new breed produced more eggs than the native ones and was almost at par with vigova in terms of meat quality.
Popularity & economic stakes
Within a short span of time, the snow white gained popularity for its egg, meat and looks. Their swan-like appearance made them a popular addition to the backyards of houses.
In just seven weeks, the snow white would grow to weigh nearly 2.4kg. A snow white duckling was sold for `45, similar to a vigova, which puts on 2.5-3kg in six-seven weeks. However, while a vigova could produce nearly 120 eggs a year, snow white would lay around 200-210 eggs.
Compared to a vigova, which would normally yield a profit of around `217 in seven weeks, the snow white was also more financially viable.
Avain flu aftermath
The snow white, which proved to be a game changer in Kuttanad, has unfortunately been nearly wiped out by the flu outbreak. Their entire numbers at the farm were culled.
Officials say there are a few snow whites with farmers and they have been appealing to them to keep the breed from extinction.
“The duck has been a lifeline for farmers, providing a lucrative business. If the government intervenes and keeps the birds in other farms, they will easily survive extinction and can again be a relief for farmers,” says Dr Thomas.
Farmers pay the price
Curbs on the sale and transportation of poultry birds till next March will hurt the farmers of Niranam, where a prohibition on the rearing of birds is also in force within a 10km radius of the hot spot. The district collector had issued an order in this regard.
Exacerbating the farmers’ woes, the restrictions will cast a shadow on their livelihoods, especially during the Easter and Christmas seasons. Many farmers engaged in duck and chicken rearing in the Kuttanad region are in distress following the outbreak, which had its origins at the Niranam farm in mid-May.