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Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DOI

10.3906/vet-1902-9

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effect of housing system on morphometric and carcass traits of 3 chicken genotypes. In total, 180 cockerels and 180 pullets of 6 weeks old were studied. A randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement, with 18 experimental units of 20 birds each, was applied. Treatments consisted of 3 genotypes consisting of purebred Naked Neck (NN) birds and two crossbreeds (Rhode Island Red × Naked Neck = RNN, Black Australorp × Naked Neck = BNN) and 3 housing systems (free-range, semiintensive, and intensive). Regarding males, RNN chickens had the highest weight at slaughter (1491.12 ± 64.10 vs. 1390.30 ± 49.15 and 1333.76 ± 37.54 g; P = 0.0009), dressed weight (870.12 ± 32.32 vs. 794.07 ± 24.75 and 724.51 ± 10.50 g; P < 0.0001), and breast weight (158.35 ± 8.03 vs. 128.26 ± 11.06 and 118.37 ± 8.18 g; P < 0.0001) as compared to BNN and NN. In terms of housing system, keel length (10.66 ± 0.15 and 10.42 ± 0.11 vs. 9.93 ± 0.15 cm; P < 0.0004), weight at slaughter (1482.78 ± 50.15 and 1498.02 ± 33.65 vs. 1234.37 ± 19.95 g; P < 0.0001), and dressed weight (829.78 ± 37.63 and 829.05 ± 24.74 vs. 729.87 ± 15.49 g; P = 0.0007) were higher in semiintensive and intensive birds as compared to free-range birds. Regarding females, drumstick length (11.66 ± 0.25 vs. 10.47 ± 0.23 and 10.36 ± 0.31 cm; P = 0.0007), drumstick weight (124.93 ± 13.70 vs. 93.41 ± 2.91 and 86.43 ± 2.51 g; P < 0.0001), and thigh weight (132.85 ± 13.23 vs. 107.68 ± 2.05 and 97.13 ± 3.42 g; P < 0.0001) were higher in intensive birds than free-range and semiintensive systems. In conclusion, RNN and BNN chickens of both sexes had better morphological and carcass traits during the growing stage as compared to NN.

Keywords

Housing system, crossbred chicken, purebred chicken, morphometrics, carcass traits

First Page

342

Last Page

352

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