Evaluation of native chicken performance in Isfahan rural areas.

This study was conducted to investigate performance of native chicken in rural areas of Isfahan province by using 1440 native pullets with age of 45 days in 4 towns and 2 climate zone of warm and cold in 3 village at every town and 5 family at every village, entirely by coworking 60 rural families. In this trial 24 pullets with age of 45 days with ratio of 5 hen to 1 rooster were given to every family.The weight of hens and roosters were measured at ages of 8, 12 and 24 week and the number of mortality recorded too. Also the number of hens and roosters and egg production recorded daily and the egg weight recorded weekly. The results indicated the average weight of native hen and rooster pullets in Isfahan Province at ages of 8, 12 and 24 week that were respectively 671.5 109 and 853.3 125, 928.7 177 and 1198.7 237 , 1765.5 363 and 2167.9 335 gram. The average weight of native pullets at the towns with warm climate were higher than towns with cold climate. The average cumulative mortality of native chickens from 45 days old up to age of 8, 12, 24, 48 and 75 week were respectively 5.3 4.5 , 8.9 6.8, 14.8 9.4 , 25.4 12.3 and 31.3 12.5 percent. There was no significant difference between total mortality in warm and cold climate. The amount of liveability of native chickens from 45 days old up to ages of 24, 48 and 75 week were respectively 85.2 9.4, 74.6 12.3 and 68.7 12.5 percent. The age of start laying, peak of egg production, percentage of peak production of native chickens were respectively 171.7 12 days equall 24.1 1.8 weeks , 40.5 4.5 weeks and 63.2 10.8 percent. The age at the start of laying in the towns with warm climate were significantly lower than the towns with cold climate. The age at 50 percent of production , total laying rate , number and total amount of egg production during period of 12 months were respectively 45 3.1 week, 44.3 9.7 percent, 155.2 35.9 and 8.2 2 kilogram. The age at 50 percent of production in the towns with warm climate was significantly lower than the towns with cold climate. The average weight of egg, two yolked egg, membrane and cracked egg and broody hen percentage were respectively 53.4 2.4 , 1.25 1.1 , 0.93 0.7 and 0.89 0.7 percent. The average weight of egg in the towns with cold climate was significantly higher than the towns with warm climate. Totally the average of mortality and the amount and percentage of egg production in the warm climate towns compare with cold climate towns of Isfahan province had not significant difference, so it is concluded that these native chickens have good adaptability for both climates. Key words: native chicken , performance , rural areas, Isfahan province