Authors : Shambel Taye, Gebeyehu Goshu and Solomon Abegaz
Abstract: The study aimed to evaluate the hatchability, fertility and egg quality traits of exotic dual purpose chicken crosses of Koekoek (K) and Kurioler (Ku)) with an improved Horro chicken (H) under reciprocal mating. The experiment was carried on seven genotypes, including three pure lines (H, K, Ku) and their direct crosses (K×H, Ku×H and reciprocal crosses (H×K, H×Ku). A total of 446 a-day-old chicks from the seven genotypes were distributed randomly to pens with three replications per genotype in a completely randomized design. A total of 700 hatching eggs; 100 of eggs from each genotype were collected and hatched for determination of egg fertility and hatchability traits in percentage. After the start of three month of egg laying, 15 eggs per genotypes were randomly selected and used for external and internal egg quality traits determination. In comparing fertility of crossbreds, no significant (p>0.05) differences were observed among genotypes and the fertility rate ranged from 86.2 to 91.44% for Ku×H and H×K respectively. The highest hatchability from fertile egg was recorded for Kuroiler (86.02%) followed by improved Horro chickens (80.73%). No significant differences were observed among the genotype for all egg quality traits, except for egg weight, shell weight and albumen width. In comparing whole genotypes, significantly highest (p<0.05) egg weight was observed for Ku×Ku, Ku×H and H×K crossbred hens whereas the lowest egg weight was observed for improved Horro and the other genotypes have shown comparable performance for most studied egg quality traits including egg weight. Slightly quite improvement was observed among the crossbred of both Kuroiler- crosses and Koekoek-crosses in fertility and hatchability traits. Hence, some of internal and external egg quality traits are found to be improved in crossbred chicken than the improved Horro chicken in the crossbreeding schemes.
Shambel Taye, Gebeyehu Goshu and Solomon Abegaz, 2022. Hatchability, Fertility and Egg Quality Traits of Improved Horro Chicken Crossed with Koekoek and Kuroiler Chicken Breed. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 21: 20-24.