author(s)
Saurabh Sharma, Ravindra Korake and Rohini Bharad

abstract
The present Front Line Demonstrations conducted during three consecutive years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 at three contact villages of Deendyal Research Institutes Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambajogai, District Beed (Maharashtra). The demonstrations were conducted in a randomized block design consisting of three treatments with 10 replications of each. The KVK demonstrated the improved strains of backyard poultry Vanaraja and Kaveri in selected farmer’s field to scale up the practice in the locality by proving their potential over the local strains. During three consecutive years, the significantly higher mean body weight was observed in improved backyard chicken strains Kaveri (744 gm and 2150 gm) than Vanaraja (690 gm and 2089 gm) and local strain (744 gm and 1260 gm) at 6^th and 20^th weeks of age. The body weight at sexual maturity is significantly higher in Kaveri (2110 gm) and Vanaraja (2041 gm) than the local strain (1195 gm). The mean annual body weight gain was observed significantly higher in Vanaraja (3600 gm) as compared to local and improved strain Kaveri. The significantly lower per cent annual mortality observed in local poultry strain (9) than improved back yard poultry strain. However, annual mortality in Kaveri strains (18) was significantly lower than Vanaraja (27). The average age at first lay was significantly lower in back yard poultry strain Kaveri (182 days) than local (190 days) and Vanaraja (187 days). The average egg weight at 40^th week (gm) was found significantly higher in Vanaraja (58 gm) as compared to local (48 gm) and Kaveri strain (55 gm). The average annual egg production was observed significantly higher in Kaveri strain (162) as compared to Vanaraja and local strain. Kaveri has proved to be most superior strain for back yard poultry which having faster body weight gain, less mortality, early sexual maturity, high egg laying potential and laying brown colour eggs.