ABSTRACT

An eight week experiment was conducted to determine the effect of genotype on growth performance of broilers in the humid tropical environment. A total of 90 day old broiler birds comprising of 30 Anak, 30 Abro acres, and 30 Marshal in a complete randomized design were used •for the study. Data from linear body measurement of each breed (keel length, shank length, wing length, thigh diameter, breast width and body weight), were collected to determine the relationship between body weight and growth traits using Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient (r). The means for feed intake, feed conversion ratio, showed no significant (P> 0.05) difference, how ever there were significant (P<0.05) difference in body weight for the three genotypes. The means for body weight (Anak 456.17 ± 4.1), (Abro acres 489.59 ±10.42), (Marshal 437.92 ±8.75) at week three, thigh diameter (Anak 4.70 ± 0.10), (Abro acres 4.62± 0.35), (Marshi 4.12± 0.12) at week two, shank lenglh (in Anak 3.73 ± 0.00), (Abro acres 4.05 ± 0.02), (Marshal 4.01 ± 0.40) at week four, showed significant difference (P>< 0.05) among the three genotypes. Correlation coefficient between body weight and breast width (0.749), body weight and thigh diameter (0.773) were positive and significant (P<0.01) difference at week fbur. In Marshal breed correlation among body weight, breast width and thigh diameter showed positive and significance (P><0.01) difference at week eight. The correlation reveals that any of the body traits could predict the body weight of the genotypes at different age. However Marshal and Abro acres should be selected for its high body weight for commercial production. >