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Academic Research Journal of
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Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research Vol. 5(7), pp. 521-528. November, 2017. ISSN: 2360-7874 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2017.083 Full Length Research Production Objectives, Breeding Practices and Selection Criteria of Indigenous Chicken in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Mearg Fitsum†
†Tigray Agricultural Research institute Axum Agricultural Research Center, P.O .Box. 230, Axum, Tigray,Ethiopia Corresponding author Adress:-Tigray Agricultural Research institute Axum Agricultural Research Center, P.O .Box. 230, Axum, Tigray,Ethiopia email: meargf@yahoo.com
Accepted 17 October 2017
The study was conducted in three districts of central zone of Tigray, with the aim to assess farmers’ breeding objectives, breeding practice, and traits of preference for local chickens. A total of 242 chicken owners was selected for the study. The farmers practice breeding using the exotic chicken as responded with (36.7%) and using improved indigenous chicken as responded by 63.3%. Culling is practiced by 78.9% of households based on different criteria’s. The main breeding objectives of the respondents were for household consumption, income generation and for replacement of the flock. The effective population size (Ne) and the rate of inbreeding (ΔF) calculated for the indigenous chicken flock were 3.99 and 0.13, respectively.The selection criteria used for selection of breeding hen were egg size, plumage color, broodiness, disease resistance and hatchability with an average index value of 0.067, 0.064, 0.062, 0.054, 0.042. The highest selection criteria used for selection of breeding cock were egg number of the dam, comb type, plumage color, and disease resistance, with an index value of 0.053, 0.052, 0.045 and 0.044, respectively. In conclusion, there is a need to be considered production objectives, trait preference of the indigenous chicken owners and breeding practices among agro ecologies in designing sustainable breeding strategy to improve productivity of chicken in the study area.
Key words: Culling, Midland, Highland, Traits Preference
How to cite this article: Fitsum M (2017). Production Objectives, Breeding Practices and Selection Criteria of Indigenous Chicken in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. Vol. 5(7), pp. 521-528
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