Effect of genotype and season on fertility and hatchability of Nigerian Indigenous and Exotic chickens

Abstract

A total number of 35 Nigerian indigenous and 8 marshal chickens, 4 sires and 39 dam were used separately according to genotype. Normal-feather had 1 Sire and 14 Dams, Frizzle-feather had 1 Sire and 8 Dams, Naked-neck had 1 Sire and 10 Dams, while Marshal had 1 sire and 7 Dams. Feeding was ad-libitum. Each bird was individually kept in cages and with numbered wing band. Semen was collected thrice weekly. 0.1ml of fresh undiluted semen was inseminated into the left oviduct of individual dam. 8528 eggs were set in an incubator, 3286 eggs for Normal-feathered, 796 eggs for frizzle-feathered, 2928 eggs for Naked-neck while 1518 for Marshal dams. Normal-feathered was affected by (P<0.001) genotype but naked-neck, frizzle-feathered and marshal had no significant (P>0.05) effect. There was significant (P<0.05) differences in season on fertility and hatchability, early wet had the highest hatchability, followed by late wet and late dry, in fertility late wet had the highest value (78.96±24.54), followed by early wet (76.09±2.49) and the least was recorded in late dry (31.44±30.48). The interactive effect of genotype and season were significantly (P<0.001) different. Genotypes also was affected significantly (P<0.01) affected in fertility and hatchability. It is concluded that Naked-neck genotype is more desirable in improving fertility and hatchability in the production of day-old chicks and they exhibited better adaptability to humid tropical environment than exotic chickens and Seasonal variations on reproductive performance of Nigerian indigenous and the exotic chickens should be studied for a longer period.