EFFECT OF PLUMAGE COLOUR ON EGG PRODUCTION AND QUALITY  CHARACTERISTICS OF TIV LOCAL CHICKEN

D. Gambo; S. I. Musa; E. A. Rotimi; A. Osakede; Y. L. Aguye

doi:10.51791/njap.vi.4109

Authors

D. Gambo Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
S. I. Musa Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
E. A. Rotimi Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nasarawa State
A. Osakede Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State
Y. L. Aguye Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51791/njap.vi.4109

Keywords:

battery cage, egg number, external egg quality, hen day, hen house, internal egg quality

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of plumage colour on egg production and quality characteristics of Tiv local chicken ecotype. The various plumage colours were ash, black, brown, grey and white. The birds (100) were housed individually in battery cages according to their plumage colour and allowed to lay for a period of three months. Data collected include egg number, HDP, HHP and egg quality (internal and external) characteristics, data collected were subjected to oneway Analysis of Variance of the SPSS software version 21. The results obtained indicated that plumage colour had no significant (P>0.05) effect on egg production. However, brown plumage coloured layers had non significant ly highest number of eggs (48.67±5.17). Plumage colour had significant (P<0.05) effect on internal and external quality characteristics except on egg length, egg shape index, albumen height and York index. Brown coloured layers had significantly (P<0.05) higher egg weight, egg width and egg shell weight