Comparative Evaluation of Fertility and Hatchability of Different Crosses of Chicken with White Leghorn for Backyard Poultry

B. H. Ahmed, F. Saleem* and S. Zahid

Poultry and Wildlife Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The major contribution of backyard poultry consumption in improving per capita nutrients level is well documented. Further improvement would be possible by crossbreeding with the highly producing breeds like white with the locally used in backyard poultry which is low producer. Fertility and hatchability are important parameters that should be studied before finalizing the cross breeding program for backyard poultry. A study was, therefore, conducted to compare the hatching parameters of five different breeds of chicken crosses. A total of 1,500 hatching eggs from each group namely A, B, C,  D and E and the male for breeding with white leg horn used are of different breeds i.e Naked Neck (NN), Fayumi (FY), Rhodes Islanad Red (RIR), Aseel (AL) and Desi (DI) respectively.  In each group, one cock of each  breed of the chicken kept for breeding with white leg horn. namely A,B,C,D and E i.e Naked Neck, fayumi, RIR, Aseel and Desi respectively. The fertility and hatchability from fertile eggs was higher in Group A followed by group C, B, E and D. The dead in germ was same except for group D. Dead in shell was more for the group D and followed by E,C,A and B. No abnormal chick was observed in any of the group. The average chick weight was more in Group C and least was observed in group E. It is concluded that cross breeding locally available naked Neck chickens with white leghorn produces a better breed to local ecotype for back yard poultry in terms of egg traits, hatchability and fertility. Such superiority can be exploited to upgrade the genetic potential of local ecotype and thus improve backyard poultry production. It is further suggested that the productive performance of these crosses should be analyzed before the final conclusion of best cross for backyard poultry in same ecotype.

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