EEFECTS OF CRUDE OIL POLLUTION AND CARCASS-TRAITS OF THE NIGERIAN NORMAL-FEATHERED LOCAL CHICKEN IN THE NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of crude oil pollution on the carcass-traits of the Nigerian normal-jeathered Local chickens in the Niger Delta region raised under a backyard management system. A total of two hundred and forty (240) adult chickens comprising of 120 each from oil producing and non-oil producing communities were used for the study in a 2x2 factorial arrangement. Results from the study showed that Local chicken reared in non-oil producing environment recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher slaughter weight (877. 98g vs 788.472), eviscerated weight (736. 63g vs 670.45g) and thigh weight (113.72 vs 105.33). The result of the study also showed that sexual dimorphism existed among carcass-traits with the male reported with higher mean carcass-trait values than the female. The results of the study also indicated that, cut parts (carcass-trails) that have been influenced by the environment was a reflection of the superiority of birds reared in the non-oil producing communities over oil producing communities. Also, the superiority in carcass-iraits as observed with birds for the non-oil producing areas affirmed the local chickens' ability to phenotypically thrive well under good environmental conditions like all other animal genetic resources, These observations reveal that crude oil pollution affects the carcass characteristics of Nigerian local chickens raised in backyard management system in the Niger Delta region.