Relationship of Age and Live weight to Linear Body Traits in Female Intensively Reared Boschveld Chicken in Namibia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3923/ijps.2019.483.491Keywords:
Body length, body weight, boschveld chicken, chest girth, shank length, stunted growthAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between linear body measurements and age and body weight in indigenous female chickens of the Boschveld breed in Namibia. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five chickens were reared from day-old to 18 weeks of age at the university farm. Neck length, shank length, comb length, keel length, chest girth, wing length, beak length and body length were measured weekly over 18 weeks. Results: The study found a strong, positive and significant correlation [r (17) ≥0.97≤1, p<0.001] between age and linear body measurements and between body weight and linear body measurements [r (17) ≥0.96≤0.99, p<0.001]. On a weekly basis, shank length, keel length, beak length, comb length, chest girth, neck length, wing length and body length increased on average by 0.47, 0.56, 0.13, 0.26, 1.44, 0.93, 0.95 and 1.15 cm respectively. For every 1 cm change in shank length, keel length, beak length, comb length, chest girth, neck length, wing length and body length, body weight increased on average by 217.8, 183.2, 750.5, 382.1, 69.2, 111.6, 0.104 and 86.5 g, respectively. Age was responsible for 94.5 and 99.4% of the variation in the linear body parameters, while body weight explained 92.5 and 97.8% of the variation up to 18 weeks of age. Neck length had the highest, positive and significant correlation to age [r (17) =1, p<0.001] and body weight [r (17) = 0.99, p<0.001] and was therefore considered the best predictor of the two parameters. Results of this study showed that neck length is an appropriate measure for predicting age and body weight in Boschveld chickens up to 18 weeks of age. Conclusion: The results of this study have a potential application in the monitoring of growth in poultry enterprises for timely diagnosis of stunted growth in female Boschveld chickens due to subtle pathology.
References
Sawanon, S., P. Boonsaen and P. Innuruk, 2011. Body measurements of male Kamphaengsaen beef cattle as parameters for estimation of live weight. Kasetsart J. Nat. Sci., 45: 428-434.
Lukuyu, M.N., J.P. Gibson, D.B. Savage, A.J. Duncan, F.D.N. Mujibi and A.M. Okeyo, 2016. Use of body linear measurements to estimate liveweight of crossbred dairy cattle in smallholder farms in Kenya. SpringerPlus, Vol. 5.
Adeyinka, I.A. and I.D. Mohammed, 2006. Relationship of live weight and linear body measurement in two breeds of goat of Northern Nigeria. J. Anim. Vet. Adv., 5: 891-893.
Younas, U., M. Abdullah, J.A. Bhatti, T.N. Pasha, N. Ahmad, M. Nasir and A. Hussain, 2013. Inter-relationship of body weight with linear body measurements in hissardale sheep at different stages of life. J. Anim. Plant Sci., 23: 40-44.
Chineke, C.A., 2005. The relationships among body weights and linear dimensions in rabbit breeds and crosses. J. Anim. Vet. Adv., 4: 775-784.
Popovic, S., D. Bjelica, G. Georgiev, D. Krivokapic and R. Milasinovic, 2016. Body height and its estimation utilizing arm span measurements in Macedonian adults. Anthropologist, 24: 737-745.
Dingwell, R.T., M.M. Wallace, C.J. McLaren, C.F. Leslie and K.E. Leslie, 2006. An evaluation of two indirect methods of estimating body weight in holstein calves and heifers. J. Dairy Sci., 89: 3992-3998.
Abonyi, F.O., C.V.O. Omeh and N.S. Machebe, 2012. Neonatal mortality of pigs in Nsukka, Southeast Nigeria. Afr. J. Biotechnol., 11: 13228-13234.
De Villiers, J.F., S.T. Gcumisa, S.A. Gumede, S.P. Thusi and T.J. Dugmore et al., 2009. Estimation of live body weight from the heart girth measurement in Kwa Zulu-Natal goats. Applied Anim. Husbandry Rural Dev., 2: 1-8.
Adeleke, M.A., S.O. Peters, M.O. Ozoje, C.O.N. Ikeobi, A.M. Bamgbose and O.A. Adebambo, 2011. Genetic parameter estimates for body weight and linear body measurements in pure and crossbred progenies of Nigerian indigenous chickens. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., Vol. 23.
Udeh, I. and C.C. Ogbu, 2011. Principal component analysis of body measurements in three strains of Broiler chicken. Sci. World J., 6: 11-14.
Saikhom, R., A.K. Sahoo, S. Taraphder, S. Pan and U. Sarkar et al., 2018. Principal component analysis of morphological traits of Haringhata black chickens in an organized farm. Explor. Anim. Med. Res., 8: 64-68.
Yakubu, A. and M.M. Ari, 2018. Principal component and discriminant analyses of body weight and conformation traits of Sasso, Kuroiler and indigenous Fulani chickens in Nigeria. J. Anim. Plant Sci., 28: 46-55.
Teguia, A., H.M. Ngandjou, H. Defang and J. Tchoumboue, 2008. Study of the live body weight and body characteristics of the African Muscovy duck (Caraina moschata). Trop. Anim. Health Prod., 40: 5-10.
Gouda, G.F., W.A.H. Ali and K.A. Ali, 2016. Using early live body performance traits of ducks to predict marketing weight. Egypt. Poult. Sci. J., 36: 895-904.
Brown, M.M., B. Alenyorege, G.A. Teye and R. Roessler, 2017. Phenotypic diversity, major genes and production potential of local chickens and guinea fowl in Tamale, Northern Ghana. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci., 30: 1372-1381.
Ogah, D.M., 2011. Assessing size and conformation of the body of Nigerian Indigenous Turkey. Slovak J. Anim. Sci., 44: 21-27.
Victoria, O., T.R. Fayeye, K.L. Ayorinde and H. Olojede, 2014. Relationship between body weight and linear body measurements in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). J. Scient. Res., 6: 175-183.
Caglayan, T., K. Kirikci, A. Gunlu and S. Alasahan, 2011. Some body measurements and their correlations with live weight in the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca). Afr. J. Agric. Res., 6: 1857-1861.
Parvez, M.N.H., M.T.D. Akter and M.J.U. Sarder, 2016. Phenotypic characteristics and biometrical study on different breeds of pigeon in Northern Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Vet. Med., 14: 135-139.
Dos Santos Correia, L.E.C., C.S. Paranzini, E. de Fatima, K.M.D.S. Aguiar and K.H.N.P. Pereira et al., 2018. Evaluation of growth traits in captive red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) raised in different production environments. J. Anim. Plant Sci., 37: 6008-6018.
Alabi, O.J., J.W. Ngambi, D. Norris and S.S.A. Egena, 2012. Comparative study of three indigenous chicken breeds of South Africa: Body weight and linear body measurements. Agric. J., 3: 220-225.
Malomane, D.K., D. Norris, C.B. Banga and J.W. Ngambi, 2014. Use of factor scores for predicting body weight from linear body measurements in three South African indigenous chicken breeds. Trop. Anim. Health Prod., 46: 331-335.
Okoro, V.M.O., K.E. Ravhuhali, T.H. Mapholi, E.F. Mbajiorgu and C.A. Mbajiorgu, 2017. Effect of age on production characteristics of Boschveld indigenous chickens of South Africa reared intensively. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci., 47: 157-167.
Ajayi, F.O., O. Ejiofor and M.O. Ironkwe, 2008. Estimation of body weight from linear body measurements in two commercial meat-type chicken. Global J. Agric. Sci., 7: 57-59.
Ukwu, H.O., V.M.O. Okoro and R.J. Nosike, 2014. Statistical modelling of body weight and linear body measurements in Nigerian indigenous chicken. IOSR J. Agric. Vet. Sci., 7: 27-30.
Ndofor-Foleng, H.M., O.O. Vivian, G.A. Musongong, J. Ohageni and U.E. Duru, 2015. Evaluation of growth and reproductive traits of Nigerian local chicken and exotic chicken. Indian J. Anim. Res., 49: 155-160.
Oguntunji, A.O. and K.L. Ayorinde, 2015. Sexual size dimorphism and sex determination by morphometric measurements in locally adapted Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) in Nigeria. Acta Agric. Slovenica, 104: 15-24.
Oleforuh-Okoleh, V.U., R.F. Kurutsi and H.M. Ideozu, 2017. Phenotypic evaluation of growth traits in two Nigerian local chicken genotypes. Anim. Res. Int., 14: 2611-2618.
Semakula, J., P. Lusembo, D.R. Kugonza, D. Mutetikka, J. Ssennyonjo and M. Mwesigwa, 2011. Estimation of live body weight using zoometrical measurements for improved marketing of indigenous chicken in the Lake Victoria basin of Uganda. Livestock Res. Rural Dev., Vol. 23.
Dahloum, L., N. Moula, M. Halbouche and S. Mignon-Grasteau, 2016. Phenotypic characterization of the indigenous chickens (Gallus gallus) in the Northwest of Algeria. Arch. Anim. Breed., 59: 79-90.
Tabassum, F., M.A. Hoque, F. Islam, C.H. Ritchil, M.O. Faruque and A.K.F.H. Bhuiyan, 2014. Phenotypic and morphometric characterization of indigenous chickens at Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur district in Bangladesh. SAARC J. Agric., 12: 154-169.
Abdullah, S.M. and A.S. Shaker, 2018. Principal component analysis of internal egg traits for four genetic groups of local chicken. Egypt. Poult. Sci. J., 38: 699-706.
Kokoszyński, D., Z. Bernacki, M. Saleh, K. Stęczny and M. Binkowska, 2017. Body conformation and internal organs characteristics of different commercial broiler lines. Braz. J. Poult. Sci., 19: 47-52.
Moula, N., 2016. Characterization of the Kabyle breed of hen (Thayazit Lekvayel) and its farming system in the region of Chemini and Bouzeguene (Algeria). Proceedings of the International Conference, Agriculture Development in the Context of International Integration: Opportunities and Challenges, December 7-8, 2016, Agriculture University Press, Hanoi, Vietnam, pp: 49-56.
Tyasi, T.L., N. Qin, X. Niu, X. Sun and X. Chen et al., 2018. Prediction of carcass weight from body measurement traits of Chinese indigenous Dagu male chickens using path coefficient analysis. Indian J. Anim. Sci., 88: 744-748.
Egena, S.S.A., A.T. Ijaiya and R. Kolawole, 2014. An assessment of the relationship between body weight and body measurements of indigenous Nigeria chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) using path coefficient analysis. Livestock Res. Rural Dev., Vol. 26, No. 3.
Assan, N., 2013. Bioprediction of body weight and carcass parameters from morphometric measurements in livestock and poultry. Scient. J. Rev., 2: 140-150.
Ogah, D.M., A.A. Alaga and M.O. Momoh, 2009. Principal component factor analysis of the morphostructural traits of muscovy duck. Int. J. Poult. Sci., 8: 1100-1103.
Ojedapo, L.O., S.R. Amao, S.A. Ameen, T.A. Adedeji, R.I. Ogundipe and A.O. Ige, 2012. Prediction of body weight and other linear body measurement of two commercial layer strain chickens. Asian J. Anim. Sci., 6: 13-22.
Adenaike, A.S., U. Akpan and C.O.N. Ikeobi, 2016. Principal components regression of body measurements in five strains of locally adapted chickens in Nigeria. Anim. Health Prod., 64: 105-115.
Ekka, R., N.C. Behura, L. Samal, G.D. Nayak, P.K. Pati and P.K. Mishra, 2016. Growth performance and linear body measurements of Hansli, CSML and Hansli × CSML cross under intensive system of rearing. J. Livestock Sci., 7: 114-121.
Ahmed, I.A., I.A. Adeyinka, G.N. Akpa, M. Kabir and I. Abubakar et al., 2017. Interrelationships between body weight and conformation traits in Ross commercial broiler strain. Proceedings of the 54th Annual Congress of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, November 6-10, 2017, Ahmadu Bello University Press Ltd., Kano, Nigeria, pp: 14-19.
Hans, L., 2012. Indigenous chicken in Africa. Aviculture Europe. http://www.aviculture-europe.nl/nummers/12E04A10.pdf.
Petrus, N.P, I. Mpofu and E. Lutaaya, 2011. The care and management of indigenous chicken in Northern communal areas of Namibia. Livestock Res. Rural Dev., Vol. 23.
Masaire, E., O. Madzingira, A. Samkange, E. Kandiwa, B. Mushonga and A.S. Bishi, 2018. Characterization of poultry production and management systems in the communal areas of Namibia. Afr. J. Poult. Farm., 6: 265-276.
Tudor, D.C., 1979. Congenital defects of poultry. World Poultry Sci. J., 35: 20-26.
Atansuyi, A.J., I.O. Olaseinde and C.A. Chineke, 2018. Estimation of body weight from linear body measurements in four-chicken genotypes using linear and quadratic functions. J. Sustainable Technol., 9: 14-24.
Fayeye, T.R., K.L. Ayorinde, V. Ojo and O.M. Adesina, 2006. Frequency and influence of some major genes on body weight and body size parameters of Nigerian local chickens. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., Vol. 18.
Francesch, A., I. Villalba and M. Cartañà, 2011. Methodology for morphological characterization of chicken and its application to compare Penedesenca and Empordanesa breeds. Anim. Genet. Resour., 48: 79-84.
Ajayi, O.O., M.A. Adeleke, M.T. Sanni, A. Yakubu and S.O. Peters et al., 2012. Application of principal component and discriminant analyses to morpho-structural indices of indigenous and exotic chickens raised under intensive management system. Trop. Anim. Health Prod., 44: 1247-1254.
Omeje, S.S. and C.C. Nwosu, 1986. Growth and egg production evaluation of F2 and backcross progeny chicks from Nigerian chicken by gold-link crosses. Proc. World Cong. Genet. Applied Livestock Prod., 10: 304-310.
Alimi, J.M., 2012. Correlation analysis between body weight and linear body measurements in broiler chickens. http://unaab.assetjournal.edu.ng.
Adeniji, F.O. and K.L. Ayorinde, 1990. Prediction of body weight from linear body measurements of chickens. Niger. J. Anim. Prod., 17: 42-47.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2019 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
