To be commercially successful, a primary breeding venture should meet following prerequisites: -

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1 Keywords: Primary Breeding, Developing countries, G x E interaction, market needs. Breeding of chicken is directed towards maximizing the returns per dollar invested by breeders, hatchery men and poultry farmers; all segments of the industry. The objective of the poultry breeder, therefore, is to develop a product which poultry farmers and hatchery owners, as customers, are willing to buy. In WTO regime, a breeder in any developing country has to compete with the birds bred within the country and those imported (GP/PS) from North America and Europe, where most of the primary breeding companies are located. Therefore, a primary breeder in a country like India has to develop a product which is equal to, if not better than, imported products, so that his product finds acceptability with the hatchery owner as well as broiler or layer farmers. To be commercially successful, a primary breeding venture should meet following prerequisites: - A. A set of pure lines with reasonable productivity and which responds to genetic selection. B. Necessary capital to create required infrastructure for a full scale breeding programme. C. A team of poultry geneticists and technicians, who have knowledge to design, plan and implement the breeding program. D. A good system of communication between geneticist and poultry farmers to ensure that desirable change in the product are effected as quickly as possible. E. Reasonable sales to support the huge expenditure of genetic research and breeding. F. Thorough knowledge and understanding of climatic conditions and husbandry practices followed in the region/regions in which the bird has to perform. G. Clear understanding of the market requirements of the area where the bird has to perform. Prerequisite of successful primary breeding venture in the Indian context :- A. A set of Pure Lines :- In order to get right pure lines, our company entered into joint venture with Cobb Vantress for broiler breeding and Babcock for Layer breeding, in the year This ensured the availability of the pure lines with commercially competitive productivity at that time. B. Capital :- We realised in the beginning that there are no short cuts in the breeding program and a full-scale program must be in place to breed a competitive bird and to remain competitive in the long run. Accordingly, the joint venture companies created necessary infrastructure to test and evaluate large populations in order to maximize selection intensity for speedy genetic gain per unit of time. C. Team of poultry geneticists and technicians :- Our company recruited experienced geneticists with Ph.D. from reputed universities in India and abroad. The company also recruited talented technicians and computer professionals from the big pool of such people available in India. D. Communication between Geneticist and customers:- The company has wide net work of sales persons and technicians (for after sale service) who continuously feed information to the geneticists regarding market requirement and farmers perception of the product. E. Recurring expenditure :- The research and breeding programme requires huge recurring expenditure for testing various purelines and their crosses. To recover this, reasonable sales of parent chicks has to be achieved to remain financially viable. In a free market system, which results in strong competition from GP based breeds imported from abroad, this is not easy. For our company, in the initial years, some financial support came from other business of the group. Once the company achieved reasonable share of market, no out side financial support was necessary. Today, our company has almost 65 per cent of 10 million broiler parents and 85 per cent of 1.3 million layer parent market of India. This has enabled the company to make required investments in the breeding programme both for layers as well as broilers.

2 F. Climatic conditions and Husbandry Practices : 1. Variation in Temperature: There is a considerable variation in temperature and humidity between seasons and between day and night within seasons. The temperature would vary from as low as 40C in winter nights to as high as 470C in summer days with daily temperature fluctuation of 150C to 300C between day and night. 2. Open Sided Houses: Approximately 95 per cent of broilers and 100 per cent of layers are grown and kept in open sided houses. The temperature in these houses may vary from 100C in winter nights to 400C in summer days. The broiler farmers and breeder flock owners do not install environment control devices due to (a) high capital cost, (b) high cost of electricity, (c) frequent break down of power supply in villages where almost all the farms are located and (d) availability of cheap labor. 3. Flock Size: The flock sizes vary from as small as 200 broilers to 25,000 broilers per batch and layer flocks may vary from 1000 to 100,000 birds per farm. 4. Non availability of High-energy Ration: Due to religious reasons, use of beef tallow in animal feed is banned in India. Inclusion of vegetable oils is not cost effective. Therefore, a typical Indian Layer ration would have only 2400 to 2550 Kcal/kg of feed compared to 2800 Kcal/kg of feed used in western countries. Similarly, broiler ration would have Kcal/kg compared to 3200 Kcal/Kg used in Europe and North America. 5. Sub-optimal Hygienic Standards: Since most of the flocks are of small size and a village may have a number of such small farms, the desired quarantine and hygienic standards are seldom maintained. Marketing chickens, bred in the environmentally controlled conditions of North America and Europe, in developing countries assumes that there does not exist any genotype-environment interaction. However, a number of authors have reported stock by location interaction for certain traits like egg production and mortality in layers and body weight, feed conversion and livability in broilers (Hartmann, 1990). Highly significant sire x location interaction for egg production and egg weight was reported by Mukherjee et al. (1980). Yamada and Tanaka (1992) demonstrated that it is feasible to successfully select for heat tolerance in a Leghorn strain. Similarly El-Gendy and Washburn (1992) have shown that it is possible to select for heat tolerance in broiler stocks by selecting for body weight under heat stress. In an interesting experiment Cahaner et al. (1996) grew offsprings of fast growing (selected) parents and normal (average) growing parents in temperate environment and in high ambient temperature environment. Their results indicated that the genetic advantage of the fast growing group, obtained by within-line selection, similar to the breeding procedure used by commercial breeders in temperate climate, could not be expressed under heat stress conditions. In other words, experimental selection on body weight conducted in temperate environment was very successful in that type of environment, but less effective in hot climate. The difference between the progeny of the fast growing parents and slow growing parents was 238g at 24oc and only 127g at 32oc. In an another experiment conducted in Turkey, Cahaner et al. (1996) showed that summer weight gain between 4 to 7 weeks was lower than the spring weight gain by 29 per cent in male broilers and 22 per cent in female broilers. Further analysis of data showed significant season by sire interaction, indicating the presence of GXE interaction due to the variation in the magnitude of heat induced growth depression among sire families. The above cited studies clearly show that genotype environment interaction does exist. Stocks selected in a given environment may not perform as well in another environment, which is significantly different from the former. As stated earlier, most of the world s leading poultry breeding companies are located in temperate regions while their products are marketed all over the world in varied conditions of climate, husbandry, feeds and feeding practices. These breeding companies keep, evaluate and select their elite stock in temperate climate with

3 optimally controlled facilities. Realizing that genotype environment interaction does exist, these companies, while marketing their product world wide, advise and some times even insist to the poultry farmers to modify the climate by housing design and installing specific devices to control temperature, humidity and air flow. They even recommend costly corn soya ration. This advice is given in order to provide conditions in the broiler / layer houses, which represent nearly the same environment in which the birds have been selected. For the poultry farmers, with small farms in developing regions of Asia and Africa, this is an expensive proposition and most of the time impracticable due to high cost of electricity and frequent power breakdowns. Moreover, the depressed broiler growth or reduced egg production due to high temperature cannot be completely alleviated by such measures (Cahaner and Leenstra, 1992). Farmers in these region also use ingredients like rice polishing, rice bran, sorghum, millets and oil cakes which are cheaper than corn or soya The other alternative is to breed the chicken in the climate in which they have to perform. This approach has been recommended by Cahaner (1990), Hartmann (1990), and Mukherjee (1992). Singh (1992) observed that as compared to an U.S. bred broiler line, its counter part that had been selected in India for 10 generations exhibited better adaptation to the local environment. Mathur and Horst (1994b) reported correlation of 0.28 for egg number and 0.22 for feed intake between breeding values of sire evaluated in temperate climate and tropic open housing environment. Mathur (2003) opined that the genotype environment interactions require additional consideration for selection and breeding programmes and offer several opportunities for production of breeding stock specifically suitable for the desired environmental conditions. He further said that it is more appropriate to select specific genotypes for specific environmental conditions. While most of the papers on G X E interaction were published after 1980, our company made an assumption in the year 1980 itself that the genotype environment interaction is a reality and based on this assumption, it was decided to select and breed chicken in the same environment and husbandry practices in which they have to perform at the farmer s place in India. All the pedigree layer and broiler brooding /growing houses and pedigree houses are open sided, subjected to vagaries of nature, wherein the temperature varied from 100C in winter nights to over 400C in summer days. Only fans are provided in summers for broilers in growing and pedigree houses but in layer pedigree and test houses even fans are not provided. This practice is continuing for the last 24 years. In fact the philosophy here is that if the bird cannot survive and perform in this climate, it does not deserve to be selected as breeder for next generation. The feed provided to the pure line stock is more or less the same as used by commercial broiler and layer farmers. Moreover, the ingredients in the rations are not just the corn-soya; other ingredients like sunflower cake, broken rice, rice polishing, sorghum, peanut meal etc are used in formulating least cost rations. These treatments to the pure line stocks over the years have helped these stocks to acclimatize and adapt to Indian type of climatic conditions and husbandry practices. G. Market Requirements 1. Broilers :

4 Today, broiler companies in North America and Europe are fully vertically integrated. One company owns breeders, hatchery, broilers, feed mills and processing plants with only one profit center. In this scenario of complete integration, any short fall in one trait, say no.of chicks per breeder, can be compensated with improvement in another trait, like breast meat yield. All the broilers are sold as processed or further processed (deboned meat). Generally, no live chicken is sold except in some pockets of ethnic markets. There has been a gradual shift in the market requirements in these countries over the years as can be seen from the following diagram: - In 60's, most of the chickens were sold as dressed whole chicken. Slowly the percentage of the whole chicken declined to almost 10 in the year Correspondingly the portion (cut ups) increased from just 10 per cent in the year 1962 to 60 per cent in 1990 after which it started declining. The percentage of deboned breast meat increased from practically nil in 60's to as much as 40 currently and the premium on the breast over the leg increased from just 20 cents per kg. in 1970 to almost 150 cents per kg. in This change in market demand and substantial increase in premium for breast meat over leg meat led the geneticist of these multinational poultry breeding companies to put much more emphasis on breast meat yield, mostly at the cost of reproductive traits and livability. However, the situation in India and most of the Asian and African countries is different where: a) Almost 95 per cent broilers are sold on live weight basis and of the remaining 5 per cent, most are dressed and sold as fresh chilled. b) There is no concept of white meat or dark meat and therefore there is no premium on breast or breast meat. c) The broiler producer and hatcheryman are two separate entities owned by different owners. Thus, there are two distinct profit centers viz.: (a) the hatcheryman who owns the parent breeder and hatchery, and supplies the day-old broiler chicks to broiler farmers and (b) the broiler farmer who grows the broilers and sells to wholesalers and retailers. Both these segments of the industry should make money independently. In India, the complete shift from live broilers to dressed broilers is going to take many years, if at all it does take place. Even today, out of around 5 per cent broilers sold as dressed, most are hand dressed and sold as fresh chilled. For a geneticist incharge of a breeding program, the main objective is to reduce the cost of production of the quality end product, which the producer sells to its customers. As mentioned earlier, in broiler industry, in India, there are two end products sold by two different owners. The live broiler farmer is interested in reducing the cost of producing one-kg live broiler, which he sells to his customers and the hatchery owner is interested in minimizing the cost of production of one-day-old broiler chicks, which he sells to broiler farmers as his customer. As against this, in North America and Europe no one sells live broilers or day old chicks to any one. Instead the producer sells either cut up chicken or deboned breast meat to his customers, as he is the sole profit centre. Accordingly the cost factors to be considered by a geneticist in North America will be different from those of a geneticist in India as shown below: Cost Factor in India Cost Factors In North America/Europe For Live Broiler Complete Vertical Integration Age to reach market weight (growth rate) Hen Housed Hatching Egg Production Feed conversion ratio Feed Per Egg Livability Egg Quality Conformation Fertility Leg quality Hatchability For Day Old Chick Growth Rate of Broiler Hen housed hatching egg production FCR Feed per egg Livability Fertility Carcass yield Hatchability Breast Meat Yield Fat Percentage Plant Condemnation It is a well known fact that more the no. of traits to be considered in a selection program less would be the genetic gain per trait. For a selection program, economic weightage to different traits in a selection index is to be

5 given according to the relative economic merit of various traits for a given market. This relative economic merit (trade off) is different for North American market compared to Indian market. These aspects were considered in our breeding programme. 2. Layers In India, and many other Asian and African countries, eggs are sold assorted and not by grades as it is done in North America and Europe. Further, the eggs are transported to long distances in plastic filler flats, without packing in boxes, by different modes of transport ranging from bicycle to trucks; on roads with lot of bumps and pot-holes. Therefore, a geneticist incharge of the Layer breeding program in India does not have to put more emphasis on egg weight but has to put much more emphasis on shell strength compared to a geneticist in North America and Europe. Market Requirement -Layers Breeding under Indian environment and for the Indian market requirements has helped in achieving better performance in the traits that are relevant for the Indian market. However, if all the products (broilers and layers) in a market originate from the breeding program conducted in Western countries in their environment and according to their market requirements, one would not be able to realize that there could be a better performance if the breeding program is located in the local area and directed according to the local market requirements because no comparison is available. This has been amply seen in India, where indigenous breeding was started 25 years ago. In the random sample tests conducted by the Government of India, the indigenously bred broilers and layers, in general, have out performed those based on imported GPs in traits of economic importance relevant to India.(Table 1 and Table 2). This author has conducted a number of in-house tests and monitored the performance of the various broiler and layer breeds, both indigenous and imported GP based. In these tests also, the indigenously bred birds have mostly outperformed the imported ones. Superior performance of indigenously bred broiler breeds is further proved from the fact that over 70 per cent share of 1.1 billion broiler market of India is enjoyed by these breeders, in spite of four major imported GP based breeds (Arbor Acer, Hubbard, Ross and Hybro) available in the country. Similarly, the indigenously bred breed has 85 per cent share of the 140 millions Indian layer market where some major international GP based brands (Hyline, Bovans and Hisex) are also available. The results of random sample tests and the market share of indigenously bred breeds, both broilers and layers, clearly show that breeding for a given market area is more advantageous, provided the market size is big enough to support investment in a reasonably large size breeding program. All the required infrastructure must be in place to undertake testing of large population to achieve competitive genetic gain year after year because the indigenous breeding organization has to compete with multinational companies in open market economy. The breeding organization also needs to have reasonable sales to support recurring expenditure of large scale breeding operation. CONCLUSIONS From the above discussions, it can be easily said that a given poultry-breeding program could produce the most profitable product for a given area if: a) It is carried out in the environment and husbandry practices, in which the final products (broiler and breeders) have to perform,

6 b) The economic weightage attached to different traits in a selection program are in tune with the market requirements of the area in which the product is to be marketed, c) A full scale-breeding program is under taken, as there are no shortcuts in commercial poultry breeding. Table 1 : Performance of Different Broiler Breeds in Random Sample Broiler Tests conducted by Government of India. Year Entry Body Weight 6wk. 7wk Mort. FCR 6wk 7wk Margin Over Feed Cost (Rs. 6wk. 7 wks 1998 Indigenous Vencobb Import based A.Acre Import based A.Acre Indigenous Vencobb Import based Hybro Indigenous Vencobb Import based A.Acre Indigenous Vencobb Import based Hybro Indigenous Vencobb Import based Ross Import based Ross Import based Ross Table 2 Performance of Different Layer Breeds in Random Sample Layer Tests conducted by Government of India. Year Entry Hen Housed Production 72 weeks Kg feed/dozen eggs Margin of receipts over feed cost 1998 Indigenous BV Import Based Dekalb Indigenous BV Import Based Dekalb Import Based Dekalb Import Based H & N Indigenous BV Import Based H & N Indigenous BV N.A. Import Based Bovans N.A 2002 Indigenous BV Import Based Bovans

7 Table 3 The Second Myanmar Poultry Random Sample Test (2000) Entry Laying Mortality % Days to 50% prod. Peak Prod % H.D. Hen Day Eggs HHP Egg wt. (gm) Feed Kg eggs Egg (Kg) (gm) Hyline Decreo Brown Bago Cross RIR LFME Star Cross LFME Av.Brown BV300 (Bred in India) References CAHANER, A., (1990) Genotype by environment interaction in Poultry. In: Proceedings 4th World Congress on Genetics applied to Livestock production, Edinburgh, UK. :13-20 CAHANER, A., and Leenstra, F.R.,(1992) Effects of high temperature on growth and feed efficiency of male and female broilers from lines selected for high weight gain, favourable feed conversion and high or low fat content. Poultry Science 71: CAHANER, A., (1996) Improving poultry production under climatic stress through genetic manipulation. In: Proceedings 20th World Poultry Congress. New Delhi, India. Vol.1 : CAHANER, A., N. DEEB and P. SETTAR, (1996) The association between broiler potential growth rate and sensitivity to heat stress. Forty-fifth Annual National Breeders roundtable proceedings St. Louis, Missouri, USA.: HARTMANN, W., (1990) Implications of genotype - environment interactions in animal breeding: genotype location interactions in poultry. World s Poultry Sci. Journal 46: MATHUR, P.K. and HORST, P., (1994 b) Genotype by environment interactions in laying hens based on relationships between breeding values of sires in temperate and tropical environments. Poultry Science 73: MATHUR, P.K., (2003) Genotype-environment interaction: problems associated with selection for increased production. Poultry Genetics, Breeding and Bio Technology. CAB International 2003 : MUKHERJEE, T.K., HORST, P., FLOCK, D.K. and PETERSON, J (1980). Sire x location interactions from progeny tests in different countries. British Poultry Science 21: MUKHERJEE, T.K., (1992) Usefulness of indigenous breeds and imported stocks for poultry production in hot climates. In : Proceedings 19th World Poultry Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In Vol. 2 : SINGH, H., (1992) Selection for adaptability to sub-optimal conditions. In: Proceedings 19th World s Poultry Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Vol. 2 : WASHBURN, K.W., E.EL-GENDY, and D.E. EBERHART, (1992) Influence of body weight on response to a heat stress environment. In: Proceedings 19th World s Poultry Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Vol. 2 :53-56 YAMADA, M. and TANAKA, M. (1992) Selection and Physiological properties of thermotolerant White Leghorn hen. Proceedings 19th World's Poultry Congress, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Vol., 2 :