6 months ago
2
After being astir wiped retired by past year’s vertebrate flu outbreak, the wetlands of Kuttanad are buzzing again with 3 indigenous duck varieties making a spectacular comeback.
Leading this restoration effort is the Duck Hatchery and Training (DHAT) Institute astatine Manjadi, adjacent Thiruvalla, which is nurturing genitor stocks of Vigova, Kuttanadan Chembally and Snow White ducks. Over the past six months, the institute has been supplying astir 2,000 one-day-old ducklings each week to farmers crossed the State. From Neyyattinkara successful Thiruvananthapuram to Neeleswaram successful Kasaragod, farmers are flocking backmost to these indigenous breeds, giving them a caller lease of life.
Saju Simon, adjunct manager astatine DHAT, says that these varieties were connected the brink of extinction pursuing past year’s vertebrate flu outbreak, which besides brought hatching operations to a halt for a agelong period. “Thanks to cautiously maintained genitor stocks, we person been capable to revive these breeds from adjacent extinction. The Snow White variety, developed astatine Niranam Duck Farm done selective crossbreeding of section and overseas germplasm, is present maintained exclusively astatine DHAT,” helium said.
Safety protocols
The restoration mission, according to the official, progressive a meticulous process of pursuing biosecurity measures and precise breeding. “Being adjacent to the Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, we’ve followed stringent information protocols to forestall microorganism exposure. We besides identified and sealed each imaginable gaps, including unfastened spaces wherever vertebrate droppings could present infection, to guarantee a foolproof system,” Mr. Simon added.
To safeguard against aboriginal outbreaks, DHAT has present embarked connected a program to diversify the genitor stocks to aggregate locations crossed the State. “Even if 1 determination is affected by vertebrate flu, the genitor banal astatine different sites volition stay safe,” said different official.
Meanwhile, the wide culling past twelvemonth has near a shortage of the Chara duck, different prized section duck breed. Officials sources accidental the Chara germplasm is scarcely disposable successful the State and volition request to beryllium sourced from elsewhere.
Duck farming, 2nd lone to paddy cultivation, continues to beryllium the backbone of colony beingness successful Kuttanad. Many households rear a fewer ducks successful their backyards, which supply a dependable income, lend to nutrient information and make employment for the section community.
