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The effects of feather type and colour on egg production and quality characteristics of local-exotic crossbred layers
Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the production and quality of eggs from two experimental crossbred layer lines (brown and white) and two feathering types (naked neck and normal feath-ered). Egg production was studied from age at first egg to peak production. Egg production param-eters studied included age and weight of birds at first lay, weight of first eggs, egg mass, FCR and FCE/dozen eggs, NFEI (%) and rate of lay (hen-day and hen-housed). Egg quality was also as-sessed (external and internal) at 50% and peak production periods. A total of 300 sixteen-weeks old pullets was sampled for the experiment; 150 per line (brown and white), with 75 normal feathered and 75 naked neck birds under each line in a 2 x 2 factorial design. Data on egg production and egg quality were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using R software version 5.3.1 and GraphPad Prism 7.04 and means compared at p < 0.05 using Tukeys Studentized Range Test. The white line attained 50% egg production earlier and recorded higher (p < 0.05) hen-day and hen-housed egg production at peak production. Eggs from the white line were heavier and wider (p < 0.05) than eggs from their brown counterparts, whereas those from the brown line were longer than those from their white counterparts. The naked neck hens had heavier eggs at first lay and higher hen-day (%) egg production than the normal feathered birds. In conclusion, white line had superior egg production and quality traits than brown line while the naked neck layers had higher.
