Performance indices of four crossbred broiler chickens intensively managed in South West, Nigeria

Abstract

A total of 424 birds were used for this study comprising 24 parent stocks of exotic and indigenous chickens and 400 crossbred genotypes generated from the parent stocks. Two each of Arbor Acre and Marshall Cocks were mated to 20 indigenous hens of two ecotypes (Normal feather and Naked Neck) to generate 400-day old chicks of four chicken genotypes through natural mating. Compounded feed and clean water were provided to bird’s ad libitum. The four genotypes were subjected to same management from day old to 12 weeks of age. The average body weight of the chicks for the four chicken genotypes was determined at day old while live weight was taken on weekly basis starting from 1-12 week of age. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences for body weight and the three linear body dimensions measured among the genotypes at different weeks and between sex at all weeks. The males were significantly superior to their female counterparts from one to twelve weeks with the males recording 2031.01g and the female 1503.48g at twelve weeks old. The crossbred resulting from Marshall X Normal indigenous and Arbor Acre X Naked neck chickens performed better in body weight, Breast girth and wing length at twelve weeks of age.

Keywords: Body weight, chicken, crossbred, genotype, indigenous