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Comparative study of growth and linear body measurements in Anak and Hubbard broiler breeds in the Northern Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria
Abstract
The study was designed to compare the performance of two different breeds of broilers (Anak and Hubbard) using body weight and body linear measurements. Data on a total of 200 (100 each) Anak and Hubbard broiler breeds were collected weekly and the experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The parameters investigated included body weight (g), neck length (cm), back length (cm), thigh length (cm), shank length (cm) and breast width (cm). The mean body weights (g) in the Anak breed were
44.0±0.00, 195.61±5.74, 450.91±12.83, 948.61±11.25 and 1304.43±13.09 at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age, respectively. Mean thigh lengths (cm) obtained were 1.81±0.01, 3.61±0.01, 5.80±0.05, 8.60±0.02
and 9.97±0.03, respectively at the same age period. While mean breast lengths (cm) at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age were 2.46±0.01, 5.95±0.01, 8.92±0.03, 12.93±0.02 and 16.32±0.04. The mean values for
body weight in the Hubbard breed from 0-8 weeks ranged from 44.00±0.00 to 1250.49±18.06, while the mean values for linear body measurements (cm) from 0-8 weeks ranged from 1.60±0.02 to
8.14±0.03 for neck length, 1.65±0.03 to 18.21±0.08 for back length, 1.68±0.01 to 9.43±0.05 for thigh length, 1.25±0.01 to 8.65±0.05 for shank length and 2.31±0.07 to 15.10±0.03 for breast length. The
coefficients of phenotypic correlation obtained between thigh length and neck length (0.09), between breast width and neck length (0.06), between thigh length and back length (0.01) and between shank length and back length (0.08) were low. Generally, the results obtained revealed that the mean performance of the Anak birds were higher than that of Hubbard birds across all ages. Similar higher values for linear body measurements were observed in the Anak than in the Hubbard. It was concluded
that the general performance of the Anak broiler breed was better than that of Hubbard breed with respect to all parameters tested.
44.0±0.00, 195.61±5.74, 450.91±12.83, 948.61±11.25 and 1304.43±13.09 at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age, respectively. Mean thigh lengths (cm) obtained were 1.81±0.01, 3.61±0.01, 5.80±0.05, 8.60±0.02
and 9.97±0.03, respectively at the same age period. While mean breast lengths (cm) at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age were 2.46±0.01, 5.95±0.01, 8.92±0.03, 12.93±0.02 and 16.32±0.04. The mean values for
body weight in the Hubbard breed from 0-8 weeks ranged from 44.00±0.00 to 1250.49±18.06, while the mean values for linear body measurements (cm) from 0-8 weeks ranged from 1.60±0.02 to
8.14±0.03 for neck length, 1.65±0.03 to 18.21±0.08 for back length, 1.68±0.01 to 9.43±0.05 for thigh length, 1.25±0.01 to 8.65±0.05 for shank length and 2.31±0.07 to 15.10±0.03 for breast length. The
coefficients of phenotypic correlation obtained between thigh length and neck length (0.09), between breast width and neck length (0.06), between thigh length and back length (0.01) and between shank length and back length (0.08) were low. Generally, the results obtained revealed that the mean performance of the Anak birds were higher than that of Hubbard birds across all ages. Similar higher values for linear body measurements were observed in the Anak than in the Hubbard. It was concluded
that the general performance of the Anak broiler breed was better than that of Hubbard breed with respect to all parameters tested.
