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Egg Production Performances of a Breed and Three Crossbreeds Under Semi-scavenging System of Management

M A Zaman
Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymenshingh, Bangladesh

P Sørensen
Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, DK-Tjele and Network for Smallholder Poul to compare the performances of a breed and three crossbreeds in a semi-scavenging system of management. try Development, KVL, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

M A R Howlider
Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymenshingh, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Data were collected from 54 selected farms of key rearer in Badalgachi thana in the Naogaon district in Bangladesh to investigate egg production performance of a breed and three crossbreeds. The Rhode Island Red (RIR) x Fayoumi attained late sexual maturity (222 d). However, during a period up to 46 weeks of age they produced the highest number of eggs (41.6 eggs per hen day and 31.2 eggs per hen housed) with the highest rate of lay of the largest size (44.4 g) and the thickest shell (0.333 mm) with the highest albumen height, yolk height and yolk colour fan score (8.2 mm, 18.9 mm, 9.8 mm), respectively. The others were the pure-bred Fayoumi and the two crosses Naked Neck × Fayoumi and Naked Neck × RIR. Feed supplement of ranged from 15 to 45 g per hen/day. Birds receiving the highest level had the highest rate of lay (39.6%) with the largest egg size (42.2 g). Supplementary feed levels did not influence age at sexual maturity, body weight, or any egg quality traits. Locations did not have an effect on age at sexual maturity and egg production. Breeds, supplementary levels of feed, and locations did not affect mortality. However, mortality due to predators was significantly higher in RIR x Fayoumi.

Keywords: Body weight, Breed, Crossbreed, Egg production, Egg quality, Feed supplementation, Semi-scavenging

Location: Badalgachi thana in the Naogaon district in Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Poultry

Objectives:

Objective of this study was to compare the performances of a breed and three crossbreeds in a semi-scavenging system of management.

Methodology:

This study was undertaken by the key rearer of the NGO: Thangamara Mahila Sabuj Shangha (TMSS) under the project Participatory Livestock Development Project (PLDP) at Badalgachi thana in the Naogaon district (northern area of Bangladesh). The annual rainfall is 2032 mm and the temperature ranges from 12 to 38°C. The main crops includes maize, Aman rice, oilseed, pulse, and wheat. A breed (Fayoumi) and three crossbreeds [RIR*Fayoumi, Naked Neck (NN)*Fayoumi and NN*RIR] were used in the present study. NN cocks from the local market were crossed with RIR hens from Bogra Government Poultry Farm. RIR x Fayoumi was produced by crossing RIR cocks with Fayoumi hens, both from Rangpur Government Poultry Farm. The eggs were hatched in an artificial incubator and the chicks were reared separately, according to the breed and crossbreeds, at the poultry rearing unit under the same management and environmental conditions. At 14 weeks of age all the pullets were taken to the study area to be distributed among the key rearer. A total of 100 pullets for the RIR x Fayoumi and the same for the pure-bred Fayoumi and 35 pullets for each of the breed combinations of NN*Fayoumi and NN*RIR were used for this study. Owing to heterozygocity in the local NN cocks about half of the offspring did not have the naked condition of their neck. Thus, a total of 270 pullets of the 4 different breeds were distributed to the 54 key rearer, so that a key rearer got 5 pullets, all from the same breed. In 7 villages four key rearer in each village got a different breed; for the rest two key rearer per village got either RIR*Fayoumi or Fayoumi. The term village is here used to indicate a narrow territory in which the chickens were offered almost the same conditions for scavenging. The whole study area was divided into three study locations named Location 1 (riverside area), Location 2 (semi-terraced area), and Location 3 (terraced area). During rearing in a confinement system at Rangpur Government Poultry Farm, the chicks were fed with a balanced diet delivered by the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), containing 20% CP and 2850 kcal ME/kg of feed. After transfer to the key rearer the chickens were kept for one week in confinement. Subsequently, they were allowed to scavenge around the homestead and in the neighbourhood for a period of 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening, and between the 2 scavenging periods they were provided with supplementary feed for 6 to 7 hours in a cafeteria feeding system in the day shelter. The amount of supplement was measured to be one of three different levels of approximately 15, 30 and 45 g/hen/day during the study period. The chickens were supplemented with crushed maize/wheat, mixed with paddy rice and broken rice as energy source, soybeans as vegetable protein, and oyster shells as calcium source, in three separate compartments of a bamboo cafeteria feeder. There was a continuous supply of drinking water in the shelter as well as during the scavenging periods of the day. At night and during bad weather conditions they were sheltered in a bamboo basket placed on the ground in a room. Laying boxes were placed in the day shelter for the hens safely to lay their eggs without being disturbed. The two major viral diseases, Newcastle and Infectious Bursal, are very often met in Bangladesh. Therefore, the chickens were vaccinated against those diseases. Field assistants collected data on egg production, body weight (bimonthly), and egg quality (monthly) from the start of December 2001 to the end of April 2002. Thus, the egg production has only been checked during part of the whole laying period. Model (1) was used for egg production performances and age at sexual maturity, model (2) for body weight and mortality, model (3) for mortality due to predators, and model (4) for egg quality. An ANOVA of the data was performed using one of the above models by means of the GLM procedure (Type III SS) of SAS (1994). Multiple comparisons among the breeds, locations, levels of supplementary feed, and age of hens were tested by their least square means corrected for other effects in the model.

Source of Information: Livestock Research for Rural Development 16 (8) 2004

Article Link (Online Journal): http://www.lrrd.cipav.org.co/lrrd16/8/cont1608.htm

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The results of the present study showed that RIR x Fayoumi had the highest level of egg production, body weight, and the best quality of eggs with the lowest mortality due to disease, but that they seem more vulnerable to attack from predators. These results were similar to some already reported research findings in semi-scavenging production systems. In order to improve the genetic potential, a selection procedure aimed at maintaining the production potential of RIR and Fayoumi should be adapted to improve the yield of RIR x Fayoumi. At the same time management, availability of scavenging feed, and rate of supplement are important factors and need to be improved as RIR x Fayoumi seems to respond more to variation in management than any other of the tested breeds. The type of test presented in this work is an ever-ongoing object for study as new breed combination/hybrids continue to appear in the market. It is very important to perform these tests in the environment in which the practical production takes place, because a considerable Genotype x Environment interaction is the general observation in many studies in which the scavenging system is one of the environmental sources. It can be concluded that with improved conditions RIR x Fayoumi might have potential in semi- scavenging production systems and is probably the best bid at the moment.

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