PERFORMANCE OF FOUR COMMERCIAL BREEDS OF BROILER CHICKENS UNDER THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION

Résumé

The study evaluates the environmental tolerance among some breeds of broiler chickens. Four hundred (400) broiler chickens were used for the trial. The four breeds of the commercial broiler chickens in Nigeria (Ross, Hubbard, Marshal and Anak) were used with hundred (100) birds in each of the breeds separated into sexes, for sex response to the environment. Optimum environmental condition for broiler production was maintained during the brooding and growing periods. Birds were fed the same diet adlibitum and were allowed to run on deep litter system with adequate litter management. The initial weight, feed intake and weekly weight changes of the birds were recorded. At the end of the trial, haematological parameters as well as carcass and organs parameters were evaluated. The performance of the different breeds of commercial broilers in Nigerian market revealed similar production capacity with observed numerical variation in the values of the parameters such as final weight gain. feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Mortality was noticed in some breeds than the other, with Ross (34.62 %) breed having the highest mortality rate for the period of observation. Marshall (1.10) had the best FCR among others; Anak breed (42.00±3.44) had the highest lymphoid cells. It could therefore be concluded that environment influences the mortality among the breeds as well as their final weight.