This study was conducted to examine comparative productive performance of different varieties of Desi chickens identified from group of Desi flock procured from rural field conditions of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts of Punjab province (Pakistan). A total of five varieties of Desi chickens viz., dark brown, medium brown, light brown, black and mixed colour were identified on the basis of their plumage colour and uniformity of body characters. Four hundred and eighty birds (96 of each variety) were selected for further study. The birds of each variety were randomly divided into 3 equal replicates. They were maintained in 15 separate pens on deep litter system under optimal managemental conditions and were fed a balanced layers ration ad-libitum. The birds were provided 16 hours light per day. The experiment was conducted for 8 weeks. The results indicated that varieties differed significantly in egg production, feed conversion efficiency and egg mass, whereas, no difference was observed in feed intake and egg weight between them. Based on the findings of this study, it appeared that different varieties of Desi chickens identified and selected during the course of this study on phenotypic basis differed in their productive potential on the basis of better productive potentials in terms of egg yield, FCR and egg mass, dark brown, and black varieties of Desi chickens could be used to carry out further selective breeding work to study possibility of improving their productive potentials.

The calf was a congenital abnormal stillbirth of Sahiwal breed of zebu cattle, with multiple musculoskeletal defects. It was born to a heifer in its first calving. The calving was normal; however, calf born had multiple anomalies. The body of the calf was flashy just like a rubber balloon filled with water (case of hydropsy). The body was without hairs (hypotrichosis). Skeleton was noncalcified and ribs were cartilaginous. The body was identifiable in three regions: head, thoraxabdomen, and limbs. Morphologically limbs were developed but were quite short in length with well-developed hoof. There was one eye like structure just above the mouth (case of cyclopia). The tongue was developed and was protruded from mouth. There was one additional structure on the head, looked like outgrowth of muscles covered with thin skin, had openings of nostrils on the end. In autopsy abdominal body cavity was found filled with fluid. The visceral organ seemed normal. It was identified as female; however, ovaries and genital tract could not be traced and examined. It was the first calving of its dam with the complete gestation period of 287 days like a normal period in cattle. Pieces of tissue from lung and blood from the heart and vena cava were collected; however, cultures were found heavily contaminated with bacterial growth. The actual cause of the defects could not be established, might be defects of certain genes responsible for incomplete growth and development.

This study was conducted to ascertain anatomical variation in different body parts of Desi, Fayoumi, Cross (Rhode Island Red x Fayoumi) and Nick Chick laying hens. A total 16 laying hens of average body weight were selected using random numbers out of 2600 laying hens, slaughtered and eviscerated. It was observed that proportion of neck, ribs, breast, back, wings, thigh and legs out of aggregate weight was highest (51.74 plus minus 2.85) in Fayoumi hens. The proportion of liver, gizzard, heart and spleen combined weight was highest (6.05 plus minus 1.81) in desi hens. The proportion of non edible offals including trachea, lungs, kidneys, blood, feathers, head, crop, proventriculus, intestines, shanks, gizzard waste, skin, tail, testes, ova, oviduct and fat was estimated to be highest i.e. 46.60 plus minus 1.16 in Nick Chick laying hens. The anatomical variation in Desi and Fayoumi chicks was attributable to scavenging habit of these birds. The high proportion of edible offal in commercial Nick Chick hens may be ascribable to higher productive and reproductive traits.

In this study five samples each of serum glucose, serum cholesterol and uric acid contents were measured in Fayoumi, Rhode Island Red, Parent desi, desi Fl and desi F2 strains of chickens. Cholesterol contents were found to be lowest in desi F2 chickens whereas in other strains there was least significant difference, which can be attributed to reduced lipogenic activity in desi F2 generation. When five samples each of meat from two locations i.e. breast and thigh was subjected to proximate analysis it was found that there was no difference (P greater than 0.05) in crude protein, crude fat, total ash and moisture contents regardless of sex and strains. Dry matter contents differed (P less than 0.05) in breast meat and found to be lowest in Parent desi stocks.

This study was conducted to examine growth performance of black, dark brown and light brown varieties of Desi Generation-1 chickens obtained from selected Desi parents (originally procured from rural areas of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts) maintained at Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi. A total number of 900 day-old Desi chicks 300 each of black, dark brown and light brown varieties were divided into 3 separate groups and further sub-divided into 3 equal replicates. The experimental chicks were maintained on littered floor in 9 separate pens under optimal managemental conditions for a period of 12 weeks. They were fed ad libitum a balanced chick starter ration (from day- old to 8 weeks) and a grower mash (from 9 to 12 weeks). The birds had free access to clean and fresh drinking water. The results showed non- significant difference in growth rate, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency (feed/kg gain), whereas, significantly (P less than 0.05) lower mortality rate was recorded in Desi light brown chicks in comparison to other two varieties. The better growth performance in different varieties of Desi chicks observed during the present study than reported in earlier findings could be due to effect of genetic improvement through selection breeding carried out in the parent Desi flock.

This study was conducted to examine the present productive potentials of field Desi chickens housed under deep litter system. For this purpose a detailed survey was conducted in rural areas of Punjab Province (Pakistan) to know availability of true specimens of Desi birds. After the survey a total number of 1329 adult Desi birds were selected from different villages of Mianwali and Bhakkar districts. The birds were housed at Govt. Poultry Farm, Mianwali for initial acclimatization for 6 to 8 weeks and subjected then to prophylactic vaccination and then they were shifted to Breeding and Incubation Division of Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi. A total number of 450 Desi birds (150 each of black, dark brown and light brown varieties) were randomly selected and were sub-divided into 3 groups of equal size. They were maintained on littered floor in 9 separate pens under optimal managemental conditions for a period of 42 weeks. The results indicated that black, dark brown and light brown groups of Desi chickens produced 1.93, 1.96 and 2.17 dozen eggs (0.0459, 0.0467 and 0.0516 dozen eggs per week) with intake of 29.75, 29.29 and 29.64 kg feed, respectively. The results showed similar performance in egg production and feed intake of different groups of Desi chickens. A similar pattern in egg weight, egg mass and FCR (feed/kg eggs) was observed, however, FCR in light brown Desi (13.68) was found to be significantly (P less than 0.01) better than that of Desi black (15.42) birds. The results further showed depression in production potential of field Desi chickens in comparison to previous production data recorded in the earlier period.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus as a result of task-specific selection and breeding work there was developed and approbated Berezinsky breed type of Belarusian meaty breed. Sows of the studied breed type were notable for high indices of reproductive signs: the average multiple pregnancy in three breeding swine herd was 11,1 pigs per farrowing; milkability - 55 kg, litter size at weaning stage at 35-day age - 87,1 kg. The predominancy over the forecast exponent indices made 4,7-5,7%. In course of the study there were analyzed the forecasted indexes of the basic breeding signs of Berezinsky breed type of Belarusian meaty breed for 2005-2010; productivity indices of the experimental sows; coefficient of variations of sow productivity.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was realized a complex evaluation of producer bulls of different genotypes of origin for the further correction and breeding in different categories of agricultural enterprises. In course of the study there was conducted a preliminary (without quality evaluation of daughters) estimation of bulls which gave a precise performance of each bull, made it possible to correct its type and direction of breeding. Research made it possible to considerably increase the genetic trend in accordance with indexes of milk productivity which would make it possible to form a regional type of black-and-white cattle with the given indexes of productivity and reproduction. In course of the study there were analyzed the following breeds: black-and-white, Holstein, Hungarian breeding, Swedish breeding. Comparative evaluation of reproductive qualities of bulls in accordance with age-specific and breed types was presented. Body conformations of bulls of Holsten and Black-and-white of different ae-specific groups were stated. Results of complex evaluation of full-grown, under 5 year-old and replacement producing bulls of Holstein and Black-and-white breeds were presented.