HARDY-WEINBERG EQUILIBRIUM TEST IN GEOGRAPHIC ISOLATE OF TWO NIGERIAN LOCAL CHICKEN ECOTYPES

Abstract

The study was undertaken to test deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectation of the Tiv and Fulani local chicken ecotypes of Nigeria. Blood samples were randomly collected from 80 matured birds from ten locations. The locations (1-5) for the Tiv ecotype were Uikpan, Daudu, Kadarko, Yelwata and Cohor (in Benue and Nasarawa States) while that of the Fulani ecotype were Lafia, Akurba, Adogi, Asakio and Namu (in Nasarawa and Plateau States). Four (4) cocks and four (4) hens were randomly selected from each location per ecotype to give a total of eighty (80) birds (40 birds each for Tiv and Fulani ecotype) and used for blood protein characterization study. Blood protein loci, namely haemoglobin, albumen, transferrin and carbonic anhydrase were analyzed using electrophoresis. Data collected from the biochemical analysis were analyzed using POPGENE version 1.31. The result revealed significant deviations (P<0.05) from Hardy-Weinberg expectations in the two ecotypes except in the Fulani ecotype where haemoglobin did not deviate significantly. The allelic frequencies of transferrin did not differ significantly (P>0.05) from the Hardy-Weinberg expectations. From the finding of this research, it was concluded that the deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations at the four blood proteins loci of the two ecotypes indicated that the Tiv and the Fulani chicken populations are variable in their genome and that there are chances of genetic improvement when crossed between themselves or with exotic breeds. The observed uniqueness/distinctness of the Tiv and the Fulani ecotypes should be preserved through such conservative measures as in-situ and ex-situ conservation techniques.