Growth performance of crossbred naked neck and normal feathered laying hens kept in tropical villages

• Published in: British poultry science Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 701 - 708
• Main Authors: Adomako, K, Olympio, O. S, Hagan, J. K, Hamidu, J. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 02-11-2014
• Subjects: Animal Husbandry; Animals; body measurements; Body Weight; body weight changes; carcass yield; Chickens - genetics; Chickens - growth & development; Chickens - physiology; crossbreds; experimental design; Feathers - anatomy & histology; feed conversion; Female; genotype; Ghana; growth performance; Hybridization, Genetic; laying hens; Male; males; Neck - anatomy & histology; phenotype; poultry production; sires; Tropical Climate; villages; Ghana
• ISSN: 1466-1799; 0007-1668; 1466-1799
• DOI: 10.1080/00071668.2014.960805

1. Two experiments were conducted to develop naked neck (Na/na) and normal feathered (na/na) crossbreds and compare their growth performance, linear body measurements and carcass characteristics in the first and second filial generations. 2. In the first experiment, 4 indigenous naked neck males (Na/na) were mated to 36 Lohmann commercial females (na/na) in a ratio of 1:9. The two genotypes (Na/na, na/na) were allocated randomly according to batches of hatch, sire lines and sex to three different villages. 3. In the second experiment, 10 males and 100 females of F ₁Na/na birds were selected and mated inter se in a ratio of 1:10. The three genotypes (Na/Na, Na/na and na/na) were compared in a randomised complete block design experiment, with the three villages, hatch and sex as blocks and the three genotypes as treatments. F ₁Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield than their na/na counterparts. 4. In the F ₂ generation, Na/Na and Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield compared to their na/na counterparts. 5. The birds showing the naked neck phenotype appeared to show superior performance compared to normal feathered birds and could be exploited for potential utilisation in local poultry production.