Comparative Assessment of Fertility and Hatchability Traits of Three Phenotypes of Local Chickens in Adamawa State

Abstract

The research was carried out to compare the fertility and hatchability traits of naked neck, frizzle and smooth feathered phenotypes of village chickens. The study was carried out at Modibbo Adama University, poultry farm, Yola and it lasted for a period of eight months. Three phenotypes of Sixteen (16) hens and Two (2) cockerels each (48 breeder hens and 6 cocks) were selected and assigned randomly for the study. A total of three hundreds and twenty four fertile eggs were generated for incubation. All the hatchability parameters were significantly different except, hatchability on fertile egg and dead in shell. Hatching egg weight had significant (P<0.01) effect on all the phenotypes. Fertility, hatchability on set eggs, dead embryo, normal and abnormal chicks and average chick weight had significant (P<0.05) effect on all three the phenotypes. There were some correlations among different hatchability traits depending on the phenotype. The correlations were more profound among naked neck. Frizzle and Naked neck and its crosses were superior in most of the hatchability parameters studied. Smooth and its crosses were superior in terms of fertility, percent normal chicks, and average chick weight. It could therefore be concluded that crossing between Smooth and Frizzle feathered chicken produced better fertility and hatchability traits required. I, recommend Smooth Frizzle chickens to be considered and integrated for hatching and rearing programmes.

A Survey Study on Productive and Reproductive Performance of Indigenous Poultry

“…This approves with Farooq et al (2002). This finding is in discrepancy to projected age of 28 weeks reported in Tanzania (Halima et al, 2007), 32 weeks in Nigeria and Sudan (Bobbo et al, 2013) and 25 weeks in Senegal (Halima et al, 2007). The differences observed could be attributed to geographical location, germline differences, nutrition or feeding plan and management practices.…”

Efficacy of Estrus Synchronization Protocols in Non-Descript Cattle of Azad Jammu and Kashmir During Non-Breeding and Breeding Seasons

“…Hatch of fertile showed no variations with respect to various Aseel varieties. Similar response of different breeds on hatch of fertile has already been claimed (Alsobayel and Albadry, 2012) showing that there was no correlation between hatch of fertile and different genotypes (Shafik et al, 2013) or phenotype of poultry (Bobbo et al, 2013). Different rearing systems indicated no difference in hatch of fertile.…”

Origin and evolutionary history of domestic chickens inferred from a large population study of Thai red junglefowl and indigenous chickens

“…The process of chicken domestication through the breeding of indigenous chickens has an approximately 8000 year-long history. Consequently, over the years, indigenous chickens have acquired diverse genetic characteristics that have facilitated adaptation to different challenging conditions in diverse locations 12 , such as heat stress, humidity 13 – 15 , and disease 16 . Recently, the crossbreeding of indigenous chickens with common commercial chickens has been actively performed to develop breeds that exhibit the aforementioned desirable traits.…”