Comparison of Growth Performance between Korean Native Layer Chickens and Imported Layer Chickens at Early Rearing Stage

• Published in: Korean journal of poultry science Vol. 39; no. 4
• Main Authors: Kim, Y.S., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, J.H., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Suh, S.W., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, H., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Byun, M.J., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, M.J., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Kim, J.S., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea, Lee, J.W., Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea, Choi, S.B., Animal Genetic Resources Station, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Namwon, Republic of Korea
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.12.2012
• Subjects: BODY WEIGHT; early rearing stage; imported layer chickens; Korean native chickens; PESO CORPORAL; POIDS CORPOREL; shank length
• ISSN: 1225-6625

The objective of this study was to compare the growth performance between Korean native layer chickens and imported layer chickens at early rearing stage. Total number of chicks analyzed in this study was 276 and feeding period was conducted from July 24, 2012 for 10 weeks. Five strains including 2 Korean native strains: A=Korean Native Black (Chungcheongbuk-do) and B=Korean Native Yellowish Brown (Gyeongsangbuk-do) and 3 imported layer strains: C=White Leghorn (Gyeongsangnam-do), D=White Leghorn (Seoul), and E=Ameraucanas (Gyeongsangbuk-do) were used to analyze the following traits such as fertility, hatchability, body weight at a different growing stage, average body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. The fertilities and hatchabilities of strains were 93.88% and 95.65% in strain A, 81.75% and 86.24% in strain B, 82.25% and 88.15% in strain C, 79.25% and 90.85% in strain D, and 71.50% and 88.11% in strain E, respectively. A viability was excellent in strains A and E to be more than 98% and was low in strain D to be 86.67% at a whole week. The strain A had greater body weight during growing stages (p less than 0.05) than the other strains. The shank length of strain D of 56.69 ± 3.27 mm was the highest value at 10 weeks of age among strains (p less than 0.05). The phenotypic correlation coefficients of strains A and D between an average body weight gain and a shank length were 0.63 and 0.73 during 0~2 wk, 0.70 and 0.55 during 2~4 wk, 0.55 and 0.54 during 4~6 wk, 0.50 and 0.24 during 6~8 wk, and 0.46 and 0.29 during 8~10 wk, respectively. The Korean native hens may have potential abilities to be used as an excellent seed stock for poultry industry.