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This study assessed the reproductive performance of indigenous and crossbred parent stocks and the influence of sire genotype on the growth and efficiency of feed utilization by their progenies. A total of 300 poults, 150 for each genotype were generated from two crosses (Nicholas white x Indigenous and Indigenous x Indigenous turkeys). Data were collected on the reproductive performance of the parents while body weight and feed intake from day old to the 20th week of age were also collected from the progenies generated. The experiment was a complete randomized design with data generated subjected to two way analysis of variance using SAS. The result of the study showed that sire genotype had significant effect (p0.05) on all female reproductive traits such as fertility, hatchability, dead in-germ, weak in-shell and dead in-shell. However, the indigenous turkey had higher fertility percentage (85%) while 80% hatchability was observed in crossbred turkey. Crossbred turkey significantly (p

A total of ninety-six (96) weaner rabbits (Chinchilla and New Zealand White crossbred) were use for this study and were divided into forty-eight (48) per generation. These fortyeight weaner rabbits were further divided into three replicates of four males (12) and four females each (12) housed in cage (24) and deep litter system (24).This experiment was carried out for two generations to determine the effect of generation interval, housing systems and sex on the haematological and serum profile of rabbits. Data obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance test in a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement. The study showed that Packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBC) and haemoglobin (HB) were not significant in both generations while higher significant(p0.05) effect on most of the biochemical parameters studied except for RBC and glucose which had 4.12 x1012/L and 69.23 mg/dl, for males and 3. 8 x1012/L and 78.78mg/dl for females, respectively in the second generation. In addition, the AST and ALT values were also higher in the females than in the males in the first generation but with no significant (p>0.05) difference. Housing system result showed that WBC (6.29 x109/L) and glucose (78.35 mg/dl) of rabbits were significantly (p

The aim of the study is to determine the effect of generational differences, housing systems, sex and seasonal variations and their interactions on the growth and linear body parameters of rabbits. A total of ninety-six (96) weaner rabbits (Chinchilla and New Zealand White crossbred) were used for this study and were divided into forty-eight (48) per generation. These forty-eight weaner rabbits were further divided into four males in three replicates (12) as well as four females in three replicates (12) for cage (24) and also repeated in deep litter system (24). This experiment was carried out in four seasons with seasonal divisions being made according to the climatic conditions prevalent in southwest Nigeria namely early dry season (EDS) from September to November, late dry season (LDS) from December to February, early rainy season (ERS) from March to May and late rainy season (LRS) from June to August. This experiment was carried out for two generations and data obtained were analysed using Analysis of Variance in a 2 x 2 x 2 x 4 factorial arrangement. The study showed that most of the body linear measurements investigated increased significantly in the first than the second generation and during the

A total of 300 birds consisting of 120 local, 120 crossbred and 60 exotic turkeys were used to compare physiological adaptation of birds raised under the high-heat stress environment of Nigerian tropical humid climate. Genotype significantly (P

Five thousand one hundred and nineteen chicks were obtained from a diallel combination of four breeds of chickens; (Anak Titan (A), Alpha (B), Giriraja (G) and Normal indigenous (N) chickens) in a broiler improvement program. The chicks were reared to 12 weeks in which data on weekly body weight (BW), breast girth (BG) and tibia length (TL) were recorded. Sire and dam genotype significantly (p

A total of 970 eggs were collected from matings involving three genotypes of Nigerian local chickens (Normal-feathered, Frizzle-feathered and Naked neck) and one exotic broiler breeder strain (Anak Titan) to evaluate the effect of crossbreeding on fertility, hatchability and embryonic mortality. Mating was achieved through artificial insemination. Sire genotype significantly (P

Six-hundred-and-seven-day-old chicks were generated from Nigerian local chickens consisting of three genotypes (Normal-feathered; Frizzled-feathered; Naked neck) and an exotic broiler breeder (Anak Titan) to evaluate growth performance for possible meat-type chicken development. Growth parameters measured were body weight, breast girth and keel length on weekly basis for 20 weeks. Effects of sire, dam and chick genotypes were significant (P0.001) on growth traits. At week 20, chickens sired by the Anak Titan weighed 1,614.82 g followed by Normal-feathered local chickens with body weight of 1,211.32 g. Progenies of Anak Titan and Naked neck dams weighed 1,761.96 and 1,292.80 g at week 20, respectively. Among purebreds, Anak Titan weighed 35.05 g at day-old and had heaviest body weight of 2,360.29 g at 20 weeks compared to the three local strains. The average body weights for the crossbred, Normal-feathered × Anak Titan at day-old and week 20 were 36.39 and 1,577.63 g, respectively. This was followed by Anak Titan × Naked neck with 33.32 g at day-old and 1,514.14 g at week 20. Sex had significant effect (P0.05) at weeks 16 and 20 with the males having higher mean values than their female counterparts. This study revealed that crosses involving Anak Titan sire × Naked neck dam had highest growth performance, and there was no strain differences among the growth performance of purebred Nigerian local chickens.

4 Abstract: Three hundred poults consisting of 120 local, 120 local x exotic crossbred and 60 exotic poults were generated from matings between indigenous and exotic turkeys. Feed and water intake, body weight and other linear body measurements were evaluated on weekly basis. These were used to compare the performance of pure and crossbred turkeys raised under natural heat stress environment. Growth parameters studied were significantly affected by turkey genotype (p

This research was conducted to investigate variation in semen quality traits of seven chicken strains. A to tal of 42 cocks belonging to 7 sire strains comprising of 3 Nigerian indigenous (Naked-neck, Frizzle and Normal feathered) cocks, 3 Exotic cocks (Nera Black, White Leghorn and Giriraja) and an improved indigenous crossbred (Alpha) cock developed at the Poultry Breeding Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production, University of Agriculture, Alabata Road, Abeokuta, Ogun State between March, 2002 and April, 2003. Strain effect significantly affected semen volume (P 0.05). The White Leghorn had the highest semen volume, while the Naked neck had the least. The observed semen volume ranged from 0.37±0.02 to 0.73±0.01 ml. Naked neck birds had the highest value for sperm concentration followed by the Normal feathered strain, Nera black, White Leghorn, Alpha, Frizzle feather and Giriraja with corresponding values of 4.21±1.45 x 10 /ml, 4.05±0.65 x 10 /ml, 3.89±0.83 x 10 /ml, 3.53±1.00 x 10 /ml, 3.45±0.46 x 10 /ml, 3.40±0.31 9 9 9 9 9 x 10 /ml respectively. Naked neck had the highest value for motile spermatozoa while the Giriraja had the 9 least value. The Pearson correlation coefficients between semen volume and other quality traits were generally low with positive values ranging from 0.01-0.35 between semen volume and percentage sluggish spermatozoa and semen pH and sperm motility respectively. It is concluded that large genetic variation existed in semen quantity and quality traits in cocks used for the study and that indigenous cocks had comparable results with the exotics and can therefore be included in A.I for genetic improvement as contributors of rare genes.

This study was conducted to compare fertility and hatchability among pure and crossbred chicken genotypes. A total of three sires and thirty dams per genetic group were used in a study which was conducted over three months involving both direct and reciprocal crosses. A total number of 5804 eggs were set out of the total laid. Number of eggs fertile at first and second candling were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by both sire and dam strains. Similarly, number of eggs hatched, percentage fertility and hatchability were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by both sire and dam strains. There was also significant (P < 0.05) interaction effects between dam and sire strains on fertility and hatchability percentages. Matings involving pure strains of Naked Neck indigenous chicken resulted in lowest hatchability when compared to matings involving other pure and crossbred genotypes. Variations observed in percentage fertility and hatchability of eggs were attributed to segregation effects of genes in both pure and crossbred chicken genotypes used for the study.

No Abstract.Nigerian Journal of Genetics Vol. 19 2005: pp. 23-33