INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF LIVE BODY MEASUREMENT OF BROILER CHICKENS IN A HUMID TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The interrelationships of live body measurement of Lohmaon brown broilers (LMB) in a humid tropical environment were studied. Body parameters used for the study were body weight (BDW), body girth (BDG), body length (BDL), keel length (KLL), shank length (SHL), and width (SHW). The correlation matrix showed generally that correlation and interrelationship of most live body measurement at 3 and 12 weeks of age were weak and non significant (p>0.05). SHW was the highest and only positively correlated (P<0.01) estimator of BDW at 3 weeks. At 6 and 9 week BDW positively correlated (P<0.01) with all the body parameters studied, having r values ranging from 0.34 to 0.74. However, at 12 week, BDW was positively correlated (p) with BDG (r=0.59), KLL(r=0.55) and SHW (r=0.31). Trait combination and standard partial  regression coefficient showed that at 3 weeks, only SHW could predict final BDW. SHW contributed 46.2% of the total variability in BDW. At 12 weeks the variability in final BDW was attributed in BDG (r²=0.347), SHW (r²=0.149), SHL (r²=0.041) and KLL (r²=0.030)