Poultry Strategy for Feed Efficiency and Heat Tolerance

The poultry farmer aims to improve bird performance by selecting for specific traits: low feed consumption, high heat tolerance, and the ability to produce quality chicks. The strategy must directly address these genetic or inherent characteristics.

Evaluating Breeding Strategies

• Cross-breeding exotic and local poultry is the most suitable strategy. Exotic breeds often possess high production potential and feed conversion efficiency, while local breeds typically exhibit better adaptation to local environmental conditions, including heat tolerance and disease resistance. Combining these breeds through cross-breeding can result in hybrid vigour (heterosis), enhancing overall performance and combining the desired traits effectively. This approach directly targets improved feed efficiency, heat tolerance, and chick quality.
• Feeding management strategies, like feeding twice a day, affect feed intake but do not fundamentally alter the birds' genetic capacity for feed efficiency or heat tolerance.
• Shifting to fish farming is an unrelated diversification strategy and does not address poultry farming goals.
• Relying solely on indigenous birds guarantees heat tolerance but may not achieve the desired levels of feed efficiency or rapid chick quality improvement compared to introducing beneficial traits via cross-breeding.

Therefore, cross-breeding offers a scientifically sound method to achieve the farmer's specific objectives.