Effect of Separate-Sex and Straight-Run Rearing on the Productivity of Korean Native Chickens

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effect of separate-sex and straight-run rearing system on the productivity of Korean native chickens. A total of 1,140 GSP-Hanhyup Korean native chickens were divided into male, female, and straight-run rearing groups, and the survival rate, body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were investigated from birth to 12 weeks of age. The average survival rate was 97.9%, and there were no significant differences among the groups. Body weight was significantly different among the groups at all weeks of age (P<0.01). After 4 weeks of age, the male group had the highest weight, followed by the straight-run group, and finally the female group. At 10 weeks, the most uniform body weight was shown in the female group (78%), while the lowest was in straight-run group (44%). Comparing the separate-sex and straight-run groups, male chickens were found to have higher body weights in the separate rearing group than in the straight-run group; however, there was little difference in those of female chickens. Feed intake was the highest in the male group, followed by the straight-run group, and lastly, the female group, while the feed conversion ratio had an opposite trend. Although there is little difference in the production performance of chickens between separate-sex rearing and straight-run rearing system, we concluded that the separate-sex rearing system is much more advantageous than the straight-run rearing system in terms of productivity due to group uniformity. (