PREDICTION OF FINAL BODY WEIGHT OF ROSS 308 AND ARBOR ACRECHICKEN USING EARLY GROWTH CURVE

Abstract

Apart from body weight, a number of conformation traits are known to be good indicators of good and market value of broiler (Ibe, 2012). The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between body weights of Arbor acre plus and Ross 308 using a model of fit.120 broiler chicken were used in this experiment, 60 Arbor- acre plus and 60 Ross 308. Using regression techniques the dependent variable, which is the weight of the bird and the independent variables, which are the morphometric traits, were used to establish a Relationship using linear regression model. The result shows that final weight of Ross 308 can be predicted from the morphometric traits as it can significantly (p < 0.05) fit the growth curve. The regression Coefficient of 0.79 is relatively high while the R- square of 0.62 showed a relatively high significant (p< 0.05) goodness of fit in all equations. The regression equations for all the morphometric traits considered in Arbor acre plus chickens showed that only body height and body length can significantly (p< 0.05) predict the growth curve of Arbor acre plus chickens. The regression Coefficient is high (0.91), likewise the R- square (0.82), the equations can fit the growth curve of Arbor acre plus. Prediction of final body weights using early growth curve is preferably with Ross 308 to Arbor acre plus chickens because almost all the parameters considered were significantly (p< 0.05) fit the growth curve.