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Aseel indigenous game chicken Photo: placeholder pending image-fill pass

Aseel indigenous game chicken

Aseel is an indigenous Indian chicken breed registered with the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) and recognised as one of the heaviest desi chicken breeds of the subcontinent. The breed is associated with the Godavari and Krishna districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with smaller populations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha and Punjab. While culturally linked to the traditional cock-fighting (kodi pandalu) circuit of the East Godavari and West Godavari belts during Sankranti, Aseel is also valued as a slow-growing premium meat bird and as a parent stock in rural-poultry crosses such as ICAR-CARI Nirbheek (Cari Nirbheek Aseel Cross).

Origin and distribution

Aseel populations in India are commonly grouped into colour types — Peela (yellow), Yakub (black), Nurie (white), Kagar (black-and-red) and others — that breed true in their tracts but share the heavy game-bird body plan. The largest concentration is in the Krishna-Godavari delta; significant flocks are also kept in Punjab. NBAGR registered Aseel as an Indian native breed, and ICAR-DPR Hyderabad and ICAR-CARI Izatnagar maintain conservation flocks.

Morphology

Aseel is a tight-feathered, broad-shouldered bird with a small comb, short curved beak and powerful legs. Adult cocks weigh 3-4 kg and hens 2-3 kg, putting Aseel well above standard desi chicken in body size. Plumage colour depends on the variety. The breed is famous for an upright, alert carriage and aggressive temperament in males.

Performance

Hens lay only 70-90 eggs per year and are persistent brooders, which limits productivity but supports natural multiplication in village conditions. Egg weight is 50-55 g. Cockerels reach 1.5-2.0 kg in 5-6 months and 3 kg or more by 9-10 months on a low-input ration; meat is firm and dark, and commands a strong premium over commercial broiler (Broiler Chicken). Aseel is highly disease-resistant under village rearing.

Management

Aseel is kept in backyard and small-scale semi-intensive systems (Country Chicken Nattu Kodi) with open-sided shelters (Open Poultry Shed) and deep litter (Deep Litter System) for night housing. Each male is typically separated by hurdle or pen due to fighting behaviour. Feed is largely scavenged supplemented with broken grain. Vaccination against Newcastle disease (Ranikhet Newcastle Disease) and fowl pox is essential. ICAR-CARI has used Aseel as a male-line parent in synthetic rural birds, notably Nirbheek (Aseel x CARI Red), to combine its hardiness with the productivity of an improved rural layer.

See also: Kadaknath Mp Jhabua Gi, Vanaraja Rural Dual Purpose Chicken, Cari Debendra Dual.

References

  1. Aseel — NBAGR breed profile. ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources.
  2. Indigenous chicken breeds of India. ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad.