author(s)
T Vasanthakumar, GH Hudson, P Vijayakumar, A Singaravadivelan, A Paramasivam and M Ramachandran

abstract
The production and reproduction performance of TANUVAS Aseel chicken was evaluated at Poultry unit, Livestock Farm Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, Thanjavur. The mean age at first egg and 50 percent egg production were 159 and 206 days, respectively. The mean hen day and hen housed egg production were 41.70±4.06, 40.26±0.33, 125.01±1.89 and 120.37±0.15 eggs at 40 and 72 weeks of age, respectively. The mean egg weight (g), fertility rate, total hatchability and fertile hatchability in TANUVAS Aseel chicken were 46.79±0.11, 86.68, 72.11 and 83.19 percent. The better production performance of TANUVAS Aseel chicken than native chicken may favour the farmers in Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu to improve their livelihood and nutritional security. The overall means of production and reproductive parameters estimated in this study indicates that TANUVAS Aseel chicken performs well under prevailing agro-climatic conditions of Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu to improve their livelihood and nutritional security.