ABSTRACT

A total of 23 day old pullet chicks were generated in four batches to evaluate the effect of normal feather (nalna), naked neck (Na) and frizzle (F) genes on body weight changes and rate of feathering. Results of the study showed that body weight was significantly different (P<0.05) at week I with naked neck and frizzle feathered individuals showing higher body weight than their normal feathered counterpart. However, at the end of the experiment at week 4, the frizzle feathered individuals were significantly (P<0.05) heavier with body weight of(186.68g±13.04) than normal feather and naked neck. Average daily feed intake was higher for naked neck with the value (201 .00g ± 4.49) which was significantly different for normal feather and frizzle feathered individuals in both phases of growth. Feed conversion ratio was also high for normal feather and naked neck in both stages of growth with normal feather having (3.52±0.13) and naked neck (3.46±0.47). Frizzle feather has the least feed conversion ratio and this shows that frizzle feathered individuals were able to convert feed more efficiently. The correlation coefficients between body weight and linear body measurements at week 4 ranged from - 0. 14 to 0.93. This means that there are some extraneous factors like outbreak of diseases which affected the development of some of these body parameters. It is therefore concluded that pullet birds possessing thermoregulatory genes may not be pronounced during the early growth phase while it may be more pronounced during the laying period.