Comparative growth and carcass characteristics of progenies from local x exotic chicken crosses

Abstract

This study investigated the growth performance, body weight, linear body traits, carcass and organ characteristics of crossbred progenies of exotic and indigenous chickens. A composite mating pattern was used to generate 315 progenies from crosses involving a base population of 30 birds consisting of 3 brown normal feathered and 3 black normal feathered local cocks, female exotic breeder layers (parent stock) consisting of 12 Cobb and 12 Arbor Acres at about 20 to 22 weeks of age in the ratio of 1: 4. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance in a randomized complete block design. Results on growth performance indices showed that the final body weight, average weight gain and average daily weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) higher in NaCOB progeny with mean values of 1383.33±16.67 g, 1347.66±18.00 g and 24.070.01 g, respectively. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower (P˂0.05) in NaCOB (1.08±0.02) indicating the best feed utilization efficiency. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found in the body weights and linear body measurements of the birds in various weeks, with NaCOB having significantly higher (P<0.05) body weights with the mean values of 188.80±5.91 g, 389.20±3.18 g, 615.00±3.56 g, 900.00±22.36 g, 1030.00±30.00 g, 1230.00±20.00 g and 1430.00±20.00 g, respectively from weeks 2 to 8. Live weight (1416.67±16.67 g), defeathered weight (1350.00±28.87g), dressed weight (1250.00±28.87g) and dressing percentage (89.10±0.59%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in NaCOB. NaCOB had significantly (P<0.05) higher kidneys (0.71±0.01%), large intestine (1.05±0.01%), small intestine (4.97±0.01%) and crop (0.79±0.01%). From the findings of this study, NaCOB progeny showed superior performance over the other genotypes across the growth traits measured and therefore is best suited for improving the local stock in the study area.