Nityanand Pathak - Avian Nutrition: Poultry, Ratite and Tamed Birds

The book Avian Nutrition (Poultry, Ratite and Tamed birds) is enlarged edition of poultry and Ratite Nutrition. The scope of book has been increased by incorporating relevant and important informations on some of the popular tamed birds reared as pet in cages. Among these Parrots and Mayana are companion species capable of learning and limited conversation with members of the house. Bulbul, partridges and pigeon are used for sports. Owners of these birds expect guidance for care and management from the experts of poultry science because so far there appears to be no school on the management of such avian species.

Saras crane is state bird of Uttar Pradesh and its Socio-cultural significance has been depicted by statue of Saras at Saras Chauraha of Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. Swan is commonly known as Hansa or Rajhansa and ride of Goddess Sarswati of mythological significance. Incorporation of these avian species in the revised edition is expected to enrich the knowledge of students and teachers of the Avian and Poultry Science.

Nityanand Pathak (N.N. Pathak/N. Pathak) retired from laboratories on 30th June 2003 but maintained link with library. In a span of about half century studies on various aspects of veterinary Sciences he has tried to translate his studies in publications. These publications include more than 350 research papers, 30 books and many literatures of summer schools, short courses and Symposia etc. He had been President. Animal Nutrition Association Izatnagar, Animal Nutrition society of India, Karnal, vice president, Indian society of Buffalo Development, Hissar, and Indian Society of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians, Bareilly. He was also General Secretary Animal Nutrition Association, Izatnagar and National Academy of veterinary Science, New Delhi, At present he is president, Pashu Poshan Kalyan Samiti and Academy of veterinary Nutrition Izatnagar. He is the recipient of Prize of Commonwealth Bureau of Animal Hearth, England; Jawahar Lal Nehru Award of ICAR, New Delhi; University level Best Teacher award, IVRI, Izatnagar; Invention Award NRDC, New Delhi and WIPO award, Geneva.

By

NITYANAND PATHAK

B.Sc., B.V.Sc. & A.H., M.V.Sc., Ph.D.,

FNVS, FANA, FMob S,

113 B Vatika Suncity Vistar,

Izatnagar, Bareilly-243122 (UP)

NARENDRA PUBLISHING HOUSE
DELHI (INDIA)

C hicken production for nutritious table eggs and low fat meat is now a well established commercial enterprise occupying fifth and sixth positions in egg and meat production in the world. Indeed production is much less than the requirements. Due to increasing prices of foods it is becoming difficult for a considerable population to include proteinous foods of high nutritive value. Revival and extension of backyard poultry farming on scavenging with partial supplemental feeding may be helpful in increasing nutritional levels of such families. Introduction of large size ratite avian species may be economical due to capacity of these birds for extracting nutrients from the herbaceous forages. The enteric symbiotic microbial inhabitants provide ability of digestion of fibrous (cellulosic) feeds.

Basic informations on social birds like Parrot, Pigeon, Partridges, Mayana, Peo fowl, Bulbul, Saras crane and Swan. will enrich the academic capacity of the natural for a family having a parrot in cage to know more about the foods, habits and behavior of the bird. Such aspects have been ignored in most of the titles on poultry and other avian species.

In the preparation of this book assistance and comfort provided by Anuvrat and Priyabhashni helped to complete the task in short time. Dr. S.K. Saha helped in collection of some informations from the library. The assistance from different corners is acknowledge.

Nityanand Pathak

P oultry production for nutritional security of mankind has been established as one of the quick method of nutritious food production of high biological value. The coordinated application of breeding, feeding, management and maintenance of health has made possible to finish broilers of 1 to 2 kg body weight in 4-6 weeks and many layer strains of fowl are now laying more than 300 eggs annually. For sustaining such high level of productivity the requirement of specialized education and intensive training has acquired important place in the syllabi of veterinary science and animal husbandry. Feeding alone costs about 70 per cent of total expenditure of commercial poultry production. Therefore, it is important to understand the feed utilization processes in fowl and other birds.

Majority of Indian population was strict vegetarian and milk, milk products and pulses were the sources of dietary protein. However, this pattern has changed at a fast rate during the past half century and even strict vegetarian families are now not averse of inclusion of eggs and even many other kinds of foods of animal origin in the diets of youngsters in the family. The human population has crossed 121 million number by the end of 2010. It is becoming difficult to bring down population growth below 18 per thousand. At the same time average age is also increasing. Under such situation requirement of highly nutritious foods of animal origin will continue to increase for maintaining the requirement of growing children, pregnant ladies and senior citizens.