TOP BREED

Aseel

اصیل

LOCAL & DESI BREEDS

Pakistan’s best-known indigenous breed — a muscular game bird kept for meat quality, appearance and heritage rather than output.

Best for

Breeders and specialty meat markets, not commercial egg or meat volume.

Aseel chicken
Photo: Asultansyed · CC BY-SA 4.0

What it is called, and how common it is

Asked for in the mandi as

Asil · Aseel murgha

اصیل

At a glance

Eggs per year
40–60
Comb
Pea comb, no wattles
Build
Compact, muscular, broad shoulders
Feathers
Short and hard

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

  • Hardy and well adapted to local conditions
  • Commands a substantial premium for meat and for breeding stock
  • Several recognised varieties maintained in Pakistan

Trade-offs

  • Egg production is a fraction of a commercial layer’s
  • Slow growing — not an economic meat bird by commercial measures
  • Can be aggressive; needs more space than commercial strains

In Pakistan

Culturally significant and actively conserved — the Poultry Research Institute in Punjab maintains indigenous breeding programmes. Value here is in breeding stock and premium meat, not in tonnage.

Other local & desi breeds

Sources