Vol. 12(1), pp. 25-70, March 2024
https://doi.org/10.14662/arjasr2024025
Copyright 2024
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
ISSN: 2360-7874
http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/ARJASR/Index.htm
 

Research paper

On-Farm Performance Evaluation Of Indigenous Naked Neck And Normal Feathered Chicken At Aira And Golliso Districts Of West Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

 

Degefu Jabesa

 

On-farm performance evaluation of indigenous naked neck and normal feathered chicken at Aira and Golliso Districts of West Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

 

Accepted 22 February 2024

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate on-farm performances of indigenous normal feathered (NF) and naked neck (NN) chicken ecotypes in midland and lowland agroecology of west Wollega zone through assessment and monitoring under farmer management conditions. A purposive sampling procedure was applied for the selection of two rural districts and six Kebeles based on agroecology and availability of indigenous chicken ecotypes. Simple random sampling procedure was used to select 150 respondents for interview and 180 INF and NNC ecotypes for monitoring purpose. Data from respondents were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and from the indigenous chicken were collected using record format. All collected data were analyzed using of SAS 9.3. Least Significant Difference (LSD) test was used to compare means for significant traits. Significant differences were observed between INF and NNC ecotypes in almost all studied performance traits except age at first egg laying, sexual maturity, and slaughter age. Lowland chicken ecotype reached early sexual maturity, slaughter age, and age at first egg-laying than midland chicken. The mean age at sexual maturity and egg-laying of INF and NNC were 6.14±.05, 6.04±.06, and 6.57±.04, 6.46±.05 months, respectively. The mean clutch number, egg laid per clutch, and total egg produced per year of INF and NNC ecotypes were 3.3±. 03,11.52±.10, 40.2±.54, and 3.8±.02, 14.24±.11, 58.3±.41, respectively. In another way, the mean egg per clutch during monitoring for INF and NNC were 12.58±.23 and 15.6±.16, respectively. The mean adult live weight of INF and NNC were 1510±.02; 2100±.03gm and 1540±.05; 1710±.04gm from survey and monitoring, respectively. While growth performance of four, eight, and twelve weeks of age were 130.18±.43; 392.79±.76;509.41±.58 and 143.85±.32; 396.02±1.42, and 523.74±1.34 gm, respectively during monitoring study. The means hatchability of normal feathered and naked neck chickens was 71.04±1.4; 53.01±.55 and 75.98±1.68; 52.36±.5 respectively from survey and monitoring study. The mean survival and mortality rate of normal feathered and NNC was 67.58±.82 and 32.37±.79 and 71.14±1.06 and 28.81±1.07, respectively. Traits preferred were egg production, adaptability, and mothering ability with index value ranked 0.123, 0.098, 0.091(1st, 2nd and 3rd) respectively for both INF and INN chickens. Performance differences between indigenous normal feathered and naked neck chicken ecotypes indicate the genetic and phenotypic diversity exists between both chicken ecotypes and their response to different agroecology was different. Naked neck chicken is superior in terms of clutch/year/hen, egg/clutch/year/hen, live weight/hen/year/. These superior performances suggest that naked neck chicken requires reproducing to have large stock for undertaking future conservation and further performance improvement program.

 

Key words: Indigenous, Naked Neck, Normal Feathered, Performance.

 

How to cite this article (APA Style): Jabesa, D. (2024). On-Farm Performance Evaluation Of Indigenous Naked Neck And Normal Feathered Chicken At Aira And Golliso Districts Of West Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 12(1): 25-70