World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THERMO-TOLERANT AND ESTIMATED BREEDING VALUES OF FOUR (4) STRAINS OF INDIGENOUS CHICKEN IN THE SAGNARIGU MUNICIPALITY OF GHANA

Y. Amevor*, D. Addison, J. K. Sosu

ABSTRACT

The study was aimed at evaluating the thermo-tolerant rate of four indigenous Ghanaian chicken genotypes. One hundred and twelve (112) mixed-sex birds made up of 28 each of the four breeds (normal feathered, silky, naked neck and frizzle) were reared for 24 weeks. Using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), the strains of the birds were replicated four times each. Data was taken on body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and heat stress index. Genstat's Analysis of Variance was used to analyze the data. The body temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate and heat stress index of the birds were genotype-dependent. Generally, the normal Feathered recorded the highest pulse rate, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heat stress index while the silky and the Frizzle had the lowest mean values with good heat tolerant traits than the other two strains. It was concluded that the silky and the frizzle are more heat tolerant than its counterparts.

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