The Study of Growth and Performance in Local Chicken Breeds and Varieties: A Review of Methods and Scientific Transference

Abstract

A review of the scientific advances in the study of the growth and performance in native chicken breeds and varieties over the past 20 years was performed. Understanding the growth patterns of native breeds can only be achieved if the constraints characterizing these populations are considered and treated accordingly. Contextually, the determination of researchers to use the same research methods and study designs applied in international commercial poultry populations conditions the accuracy of the model, variability capturing ability, and the observational or predictive performance when the data of the local population are fitted. Highly skewed sex ratios favouring females, an inappropriate census imbalance compensation and a lack of population structure render models that are regularly deemed effective as invalid to issue solid and sound conclusions. The wider the breed diversity is in a country, the higher the scientific attention paid to these populations. A detailed discussion of the most appropriate models and underlying reasons for their suitability and the reasons preventing the use of others in these populations is provided. Furthermore, the factors conditioning the scientific reception and impact of related publications used to transfer these results to the broad scientific public were evaluated to serve as guidance for the maximization of the success and dissemination of local breed information.

Variability of Meat and Carcass Quality from Worldwide Native Chicken Breeds

“…The development of knowledge of local breeds is strongly limited by the availability of animals and infrastructures where such research attempts are carried out. This is due to the inequality in budgets that are allocated to local breeds as opposed to commercial hybrid strains [ 28 , 136 ]. The primary sector must demand support from the institutions to continue advancing the scientific knowledge related to local breeds.…”

“…Data collection was carried out as previously described by González Ariza et al [ 28 ], McLean and Navas Gonzalez [ 29 ], and Iglesias Pastrana et al [ 30 ]. For this, the repositories at and (accessed on 21 March 2022) were used [ 31 ].…”

“…The following keywords were used: carcass or meat quality/characterization. Each one followed with the words: local/native/indigenous/autochthonous poultry or chicken breed (or any related term in their semantic fields [ 28 , 32 ]). Data collection comprehensively contains documents published from 1968 to 2021.…”

Comparative Study of Phenotypes and Genetics Related to the Growth Performance of Crossbred Thai Indigenous (KKU1 vs. KKU2) Chickens under Hot and Humid Conditions

“…Indigenous chickens are very important to local economies, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries [1][2][3] and are classified as an important genetic resource in ensuring food security for countries around the world [3][4][5]. Indigenous chickens exist in all regions of the world.…”

Genetic Effect and Growth Curve Parameter Estimation under Heat Stress in Slow-Growing Thai Native Chickens

“…The local chicken breeds are significant for the rural economies of several countries [1] and are considered a genetic resource for use in the development of high-yielding breeds. The local breeds have been used as the foundation stock for breeding through a crossbreeding system with commercial breeds by exploiting heterosis.…”