EVALUATION OF PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE IN 'F' STRAIN OF WHITE LEGHORN
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Date
1995
Authors
BEENA C. JOSEPH
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCE,MANNUTHY
Abstract
A study was carried out with *F' strain of White Leghorn
maintained at University Poultry Farm, Mannuthy in order to evaluate
the production potential of the particular strain based on the part
year performance.
At the age of 18 weeks, 400 pullets belonging to four
consecutive hatches were taken and housed in 100 multiple-bird
cages of identical size at the rate of four hens per cage at random.
Feed and water were given ad lib and the managemental practices
were uniform for all cages. The production performance as well as
meteorological observations were studied for five, 28-day periods
from 21 to 40 weeks of age during the period from February through
August 1994.
Body weight at 20 and 40 weeks of age were recorded
individually and the respective mean values were found out to be
944.0518.86 g and 1346.67112.19 g. The first egg in each cage was
recorded and the mean age at first egg was 174.6710.95 days. The
mean ages at 10 and 50 per cent production in the flock were 178
and 196.5 days respectively. These values indicated very late
maturity in the strain. The egg production was recorded as 56.73
eggs with 40.52 per cent on hen-housed basis and 57.09 eggs with
40.79 per cent on hen-day basis. The peak production was obtained
at 32 weeks of age. The mean daily feed consumption was worked out
as 93.83 g per bird. Feed efficiency worked out in terms of dozen
eggs and kilogram egg mass were 2.81 and 5.01 respectively. Egg
weight at last three days in each period were individually recorded
and the overall mean egg weight for 21 to 40 weeks of age was
46.21 g. The total egg mass out put in the flock upto 40 weeks of
age was 1044.07 kg with an average output of 2.61 kg per hen housed.
Livability was found to be excellent (95.5 per cent) in the strain.
The mean of the maximum and minimum temperature recorded in the
experimental house were 32.5°C and 26.12°C respectively. The mean
per cent relative humidity was 76.67 in the F.N. and 69.18
in the A.N.
On analysis of results, it was found that the body weight, egg
production, feed consumption and egg weight are considerably low in
this strain. There was poor uniformity in pullet body weight and
also in age at sexual maturity. These traits can be improved if
independent culling levels are fixed for body weight as well as
for minimum rate of lay per bird. This strain can be improved
further by applying selection for body weight at 20 weeks of age.
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