On-farm evaluation of Rhode Island Red and local chickens under different management regimes in the Highlands of Ethiopia
2000
Negussie Dana | Brian Ogle
A study was conducted to evaluate the comparative performance of Rhode Island Red (RIR) and local chickens for egg production and to develop a suitable management package under village conditions. The breeds were tested under two dietary regimes consisting of either scavenging only or scavenging supplemented with 60 g/bird/day of a mixture of equal proportions of maize and noug cake. Data were collected on daily egg production egg weight, shell thickness, yolk colour and mortality for 25 weeks. Total egg production per hen, hen-housed and hen-day averages for the RIR and local breeds combined were 36 and, 26% and 38% respectively, for the non-supplemented birds, while the corresponding figures for the supplemented hens were 45 and, 32% and 45%, respectively. Mortality was reduced from 32% for the non-supplemented hens to 27.5% with supplementation. The RIR breed was found to be superior to the local breed type in all egg production parameters measured. No significant difference was noted in mortality between the breeds, and was slightly lower in the RIR (28% against 30% in the local breed type). Local birds laid significantly smaller eggs (41.2 vs 54.2 g for RIR) but with thicker shells compared to the RIR. Yolk color was similar across all observations irrespective of diet or breed.
اظهر المزيد [+] اقل [-]الكلمات المفتاحية الخاصة بالمكنز الزراعي (أجروفوك)
المعلومات البيبليوغرافية
تم تزويد هذا السجل من قبل Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research