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RAJSHAHI, June 27: Known as Black Diamond, 'Kadaknath' or Kali Masi (fowl with black flesh), a rare breed of chicken, is now being successfully bred in the district.
The fowl reportedly has medicinal properties.
Sources said, apart from its meat, its bones, stomach, liver and most organs are also black. It's egg is black or brownish in colour.
Sources mentioned that the flesh of Kadakhnath chicken is regarded as a cure for many diseases and can easily be consumed by the patients suffering from diabetes, high pressure, kidney disease, heart diseases and even cancer.
It is said to be cholesterol free, high in natural protein and bred in natural environment.
Kadaknath has special medicinal value in homeopathy for a particular nervous disorder. The indigenous people use Kadaknath blood for the treatment of chronic disease and treat its meat as aphrodisiac.
This breed of chicken is popular for its adaptability and 'good tasting' black meat.
According to sources, the flesh of Kadakhnath chicken contains 25 per cent to 27 per cent protein in comparison with other breeds of chicken that contain 18 per cent protein.
Breeders claim that its cholesterol content is just 0.73 per cent to 1.05 per cent, in comparison with 13 per cent to 25 per cent level in regular white chickens.
The chicken variety is from Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh of India and has received Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Kadaknath eggs and meat also have more protein. The number of eggs laid are low (80 to 120 per bird a year) and people use those for hatching.
Chowdhury, a poultry farm owner at Maskatadighi under Kantakhali Municipal, said Kadaknath is highly disease resistant. Unlike other broiler chickens, it can survive and even thrive on kitchen waste.
It is also a semi-scavenger and an ideal source of income for farmers.
Kadaknath meat fetches around Rs 600 per kg in India.
In Bangladesh, some amateur poultry farm owners have started breeding Kadakhnath.
Sources said, some 'original bred' Kadakhnath chicken are available in Rajshahi. The chicken aged 60 to 100 days are supplied only to the amateur chicken rearers.
The price of a 'Black Diamond' chicken ranges from Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500.