ABSTRACT

Growth performance of normal feathered, naked neck and frizzle chickens and their crosses was investigated. One hundred and thirty seven chickens were hatched in two batches. Nine genotypes were generated from crosses of Frizzle (Fz) x Normal Local (NOR), Naked Neck (NN) x Normal Local, Normal Local x Naked Neck, Frizzle x Frizzle, Frizzle x Naked Neck, Naked Neck x Frizzle, Normal Local x Normal Local, Naked Neck x Naked Neck and Normal Local x Frizzle. Measurements of linear body parameters, namely shank length (SL), thigh length (TL), keel length (KL), breast width (BrW) and body weight (BW) were taken weekly for 16 weeks. There were significant differences (P<0.05) among the genotypes studied for all the traits. Fz x NN and NN x Fz crosses had the highest breast width of 1.96 and 1.95 cm, respectively in week 1. Fz x NN and NN x Fz crosses also had the highest breast width of 9:92 and 9.85 cm, respectively in the 16th week. Fz x NN and NN x Fz had shank lengths of 1 .90 and 1 .89 cm, respectively in week 1; 2.57 and 2.58 cm in week 4; 4.43 and 4.45 cm in week 8 and 7.30 and 7.27 cm in week 16, respectively. The thigh length of Fz x NN and NN x Fz crosses were superior, with means of 4.85 and 4.95 cm, respectively in week 2; 8.68 and 8.89 cm in week 8 and 13.93 and 13.88 cm in week 16, respectively. In weeks 1, 4 and 16, Fz x NN and NN x Fz progenies had the highest keel length of 3.97 and 4.04 cm; 6.77 and 6.85 cm and 12.92 and 12.82 cm, respectively. NN x Fz cross had the highest body weight of 37.82, 139.50, 347.63 and 1009.55 gin weeks 1. 4, 8 and 16, respectively. On the other hand, Fz x NOR cross had the lowest breast width of 1.73, 3.27, 5.40 and 8. 87cm in weeks 1, 4, 8 and 16, respectively. In week 1 and 6, Fz x NOR and NOR x NOR progenies had the lowest shank length of 1.81 and 3.41 cm, respectively. In week 16, Fz x NOR and NOR x NOR also had the lowest shank length of 7.15 cm and 7.10 cm, respectively. In weeks 1, 8 and 16, Fz x NOR and NOR and NOR had the lowest thigh length of 3.32 and 3.44 cm; 8.12 and 8.06 cm and 12.58 and 13.13 respectively. Fz x NOR cross had the lowest keel length of 3.74, 8.40 and 11.67 cm in weeks 1, 8 and 16 respectively. NOR x NOR cross had the lowest body weights of 34.00 and 932.62 g in weeks 1 and 16 respectively. Regression of each trait on age (A) which was used to indicate growth rate was very highly significant (P<0.00I). NN x NOR and Fz x NM progenies showed the highest rate of growth of the breast (0.51 g/week) and Fz x NOR the lowest (0.43 g/week). Fz x NN and NOR x Fz progenies had the highest growth rate of 0.46 g/week for shank while F'z x NOR had the lowest shank growth of 0.38 g/week. Fz x NN and NOR x NN crosses had the highest thigh growth of 0.63 glweek. The growth of the keel was highest in Fz x NOR cross (0.65 g/week) while NOR x NOR, NOR x NN and NOR x Fz progenies had the least keel growth rate of 0.61 g/week. NN x NOR and NOR x NOR had the highest and lowest overall body growth of 70.35 glweek and 59.46 g/week, respectively.