Morphometric and morphological characterization of chicken resources adapted to pastoral and agropastoral areas of southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Thirteen qualitative and six quantitative variables taken from 303 adult chickens (95 cocks and 208 hens) from three locations/districts were used to phenotypically characterize the indigenous chicken populations in pastoral areas of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. The studied traits were influenced by the effect of location and sex, where chicken populations from Hamer district and females of all districts were the smallest and lightest. Qualitative characteristics of the studied chicken populations such as normal feather morphology and distribution, plain plumage pattern, flat head shape, triangular body shape, and dominant red eye, earlobe and plumage colour suggest that they constitute previously undescribed populations. Chest circumference, wingspan and body length were the three most important morphometric traits used in discriminating the studied chicken populations. On average, 61% of the sampled populations were classified correctly into their respective locations. The multivariate analysis results discriminate the chicken populations into two groups: the Hamer group and the Omo group (chickens from Bena Tsemay and Male districts). However, such grouping should be confirmed and advanced to ecotype level using further genetic characterization studies as the observed phenotypic differences might be due to genetic or environmental variations. Such confirmation is important to design breeding programmes (for sustainable utilization) specific to each ecotype.

Morphometric differentiation of three chicken ecotypes of Ethiopia using multivariate analysis

“…The average shank length and body weight obtained in the current study are consistent with findings for Ethiopian indigenous chickens [ 22 , 35 – 37 ]. However, indigenous chickens in southwestern Ethiopia exhibited higher body weight and shorter shank length compared to current result [ 38 ].The wingspan and body length mean values in this study were lower than those observed in Sheka zone, Southwest Ethiopia [ 36 ], Southwest Ethiopia [ 38 ], and Bench Maji zone, Southwest Ethiopia [ 37 ].…”

“…To address this, multivariate statistical techniques become suitable approaches for concurrently analyzing numerous traits while considering the co-variation that exists between them [19]. Multiple studies have examined the morphological diversity of various indigenous chicken populations in different areas of Ethiopia using multivariate analysis of morphometric traits [20][21][22][23][24][25]. However, the indigenous chicken populations prevailing in the western zone of Tigray are entirely distinct from the previousily studied indigenous chicken populations.…”

Morphometric Diversity and Genetic Relationship of “Bangkok” Chicken (Thai Game Fowl) in East Java, Indonesia

“…Fig.2. The topological morphology measurement on Thai game fowl chicken (picture modified fromBell, 2002;Mustefa et al, 2021) …”