On-station and On- Farm Evaluation of Three Dual purpose Exotic Chicken Strains in Homa District of West Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

A total of 225 SassoT44, Koekoek and Dominant Red Barred dual purpose exotic breed strains of chickens were obtained from JUCAVM hatchery and transported to Homa Districts of West Wollega Zone. The chicks were studied in two phases on station (brooding stage) and on farm (grower and mature stage) under farmer management condition. Mean feed consumption, rate of growth, feed conversion ratio, were studied for brooding stage (8weeks) and mean mortality, body weight gain, efficiency of egg production and egg quality characteristics parameters were used as comparative evaluation during the grower (9weeks) and mature stage (24weeks). The data were analyzed by SAS 9.3 version software using proc. GLM with Tukey HSD. The results obtained revealed that Dominant Red Barred chicks had significantly (P<0.05) higher mean hatching weight (37.21 g/chick) than the others. SassoT44 had significantly (P<0.05) higher mean daily feed consumption (45.75g/day/chick) than the other two breeds studied. The sasoT44 (2.88) and Koekoek (3.04) had higher significant (P<0.05) difference than Dominant red barred (3.81) breed strain in mean feed conversion ratio. SassoT44 attained mean body weight of 893.057g/head at the end of brooding period, the value of which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the others. The overall daily gain of SasoT44 (15.03g/d) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than Koekoek (12.3g/d) and Dominant red barred (10.43g/d) during brooding stage. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) among all the three breed strains of chicks in rate of mortality during the brooding period. The SassoT44 and koekoek attained body weight 1.37kg/head and 1.27kg/head at an age of 17 weeks, respectively which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of the Dominant Red Barred (0.96kg/head). The mean body weight recorded from SassoT44 (2.40kg/head) at an age of 22 weeks was also significantly (P<0.05) higher than Koekoek (1.90kg/head) and Dominant red barred (1.33kg/head). SassoT44 breed of chicken reached an age of sexual maturity earlier than the others (P<0.05) as measured by age at first egg (157 days). The average daily eggs produced from SasoT44 (0.60) and Koekoek (0.59) breed strains of chickens during the first 150 days of laying was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of Dominant Red Barred (0.42). SassoT44 and Koekoek were found to be superior (P<0.05) than the Dominant Red Barred chicken strain in mean egg weight, albumen weight, yolk height, and there was no significant difference (P>0.05) among all three breeds of chickens in other egg quality parameters. Generally, the results of the current study indicated that the production performances of SassoT44 and Koekoek breed of chickens were significantly better than that Dominant Red Barred breed strains of chickens while there was no significant variation in egg quality parameters. SasoT44 and Koekoek breed strains can be considered for future selected breed strains to improve the production and productivity with appropriate management and disease control in the area.