Influence of weight grouping on the short term egg production of two strains of layer type chicken

Abstract

An experiment was conducted using 400 pullets each of H and N brown Nick (Strain I) and Black Olympia (Strain 2) to determine the influence of weight grouping on short term egg production traits. The two strains of layer type chickens were separated on the basis of plumage pattern and body weight at three weeks of age. The result indicates that the high bodyweight (HBW) groups were signiicantly (P 0.05) difference betweenthe HBW and LBW lines in strain I for weight o first egg, egg weight at 30 and 40 weeks respectively. Henday rate of lay and total egg mass did not vary according tobodyweightgroups inboth strains 1 and 2 However, the light brown pullet groups (LBHBW and LBLBW) in strain I weresignificantly (P 0.05) difference between the HBW and LBW groups in feed per dozen eggs. The comparative performance between the two strains of chicken showed that strain I was signficanty(P < 0.01) superior to strain 2 in weight of first egg, egg weightat 30 and 40 weeks and henday rate of lay respectively. The two strains of chicken were similar in body weight at first egg and feed per dozen eggs. Based on these results, the only apparent advantage of rearing the HBW and LBW pullet groups separately was in the efficiency of converting feed to eggs in srain I and in weight of first eggs, egg weight at 30 and 40 weeks instrain 2 Between thetwo strains of chicken, farmers may opt for srain I pullets because of its superior performance in egg number and egg weight traits. Keywords: Bodyweight groups, Egg production, Bird strains, Superiority