EFFECT OF GENOTYPE ON PRODUCTIVE QUALITIES OF THE SLOW-GROWING AND FAST GROWING CHICKEN

Magdalena Oblakova

Abstract: Five genotypes - four slow and one fast-growing, obtained by the following scheme are object of this study: ♂ М х ♀ Ss, ♂ М х ♀ Е, ♂ М х ♀ NG, ♂ М х ♀ F, ♂ М х ♀ L. Chickens were reared under uniform conditions indoor, in groups, on deep permanent wooden shavings litter (indoor – floor system) following the technology used in the selection base of the IA - Stara Zagora. Live weight was measured by individual weighing at 1, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 84 days of age. The hatchability from fertilised eggs was affected by genotype in this study. The highest number of chickens hatched from group II (М х Е) - 95.69%, followed by group IV (М х F) - 93.46%, and group V (М х L) - 91.73%. Up to the 56th day of the experiment, group V (М х L) had the best expressed growth capabilities - 1770 g (p < 0.05), followed by groups ІV (М x F) and ІІ (М х Е) with respective weights of 1466.13 g and 1440.31 g. At 70 days of age, group V (М х L) was significantly superior to other groups in males as well as females (p < 0.05), reaching, respectively, 3364.62 g and 2537.65 g, followed by groups IV (M x F) and ІІ (М х Е) with 2672 g, 2228 g and 2620 g, 2220.75 g. At the end of the experiment, the fast-growing chickens of group V (М x L) reached the highest live weight – 3822.63 g, followed by group IV (М x F) with 3352.57 g and group II (М x Е) with 3280.50 g, respectively. There was a significant influence of genotype (p < 0.001), sex (р < 0.001) and their interaction (р < 0.05) with regard to the changes in live weight throughout the period 70 - 84 day. The chickens of group V (M x L) were outlined with the highest index of economic efficiency, 212.67%, followed by groups IV (M x F) and II (M x E) with EPEF values of 184.21% and 175.80%, respectively.

Keywords: feed consumption; growth performance; live weight; meat quality; productivity; slower-growing chickens

Date published: 2019-03-21