COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF GROWTH AND BIOCHEMICAL METABOLITES OF THREE TYPES OF INDIGENOUS CHICKENS AND THEIR CROSSES WITH HUBBARD BROILER

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF GROWTH AND BIOCHEMICAL METABOLITES OF THREE TYPES OF INDIGENOUS CHICKENS AND THEIR CROSSES WITH HUBBARD BROILER

Abstract:

A study was conducted on the comparative evaluation of growth and biochemical metabolites of three types of indigenous chickens and their crosses with Hubbard broiler. The indigenous types of chicken and their crosses with Hubbard broiler were naked neck x frizzle (NaF), normal feather x frizzle (NF), naked neck x normal feather (NaN), Hubbard broiler x naked neck/frizzle (B/NaF), Hubbard broiler x normal feather/frizzle (B/NF) and Hubbard broiler x naked neck/normal feather (B/NaN). A hundred and ten (110) birds were used as foundation stock in this study. This consisted of 90 pullets (30 from each genetic group), three cockerels each from NaF and NF, four cockerels from NaN and 10 male Hubbard broiler chickens. Ten pullets and the cockerels from each of the three genotypic groups were randomly mated, and the other 20 pullets from each of the three genotypic groups were mated artificially with pooled semen from the broilers. The resulting offspring were weighed on weekly basis, body linear measurements were also taken on weekly basis and blood samples were collected in two phases (5th and 10th week of age) with each phase consisting of 4 females and 5 male birds from each of the genetic groups. Data on growth traits and biochemical metabolites were subjected to one-way and three-ways ANOVA respectively. Biweekly body weight and growth rate differed significantly (p<0.01) among the six genetic groups. B/NaF had the highest performance for growth which range from 26.53g to 1084.13g. Similar trend was observed for growth rate except for bi-weekly growth rate at 70 days of age which did not differ significantly (p>0.05) with B/NF and B/NaN genetic groups. Bi-weekly phenotypic correlation of body weight and growth rate of indigenous chickens crossed with Hubbard broilers ranged from negative (-0.39) to positive (0.98). Similar magnitude and direction in phenotypic correlation was obtained for indigenous genetic groups without the 8 Hubbard broiler gene. The phenotypic correlation also ranged from negative to positive and high (-0.47 to 0.99). Blood biochemical metabolites (total protein, albumin, glucose and serum alkaline phosphatase) differed significantly (p<0.05) among the six genetic groups. Age and sex also had significant effects (p<0.05) on blood biochemical metabolites. NaF and NF had the highest values for biochemical metabolites except serum alkaline phosphatase which was lowest in NF (816.57 iu/l). Biochemical metabolites decreased in value as the birds increased in age except for serum alkaline phosphatase which increased with increased age. Female birds used in this study showed significantly (p<0.05) higher values of blood metabolites than their male counterparts. Correlation between blood metabolites at 5 and 10 weeks of age of indigenous chickens ranged from negative (-0.56) to positive (0.72). Same negative phenotypic correlation which ranged from low to high was also seen in indigenous chickens with broiler gene (-0.28 to 0.56). Parameters measured for proximate composition were dry matter, ash, ether, and crude protein. The results obtained indicated that there were significant (p<0.05) differences in proximate composition among the genetic groups and the values obtained are comparable to reference values in literature. It was therefore concluded that the naked neck and frizzle genes are important sources of variation in growth and biochemical metabolites as the genes were responsible for body weight, growth rate and normal biochemical values. Thus, the genes can be incorporated either singularly or in combination with Hubbard broiler in genetic improvement.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF GROWTH AND BIOCHEMICAL METABOLITES OF THREE TYPES OF INDIGENOUS CHICKENS AND THEIR CROSSES WITH HUBBARD BROILER

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