THE EFFECT OF COMB CHARACTERISTICS ON HEAT TOLERANCE TRAITS OF NIGERIAN INDIGENOUS NAKED NECK AND FUNAAB ALPHA CHICKEN
Abstract
This study examines the effect of comb characteristics on heat tolerance traits in Nigeria’s indigenous naked neck chickens and FUNAAB Alpha chickens, two breeds adapted to tropical climates.
The experiment was carried out at the Poultry Unit of Teaching and Research Farm, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Total of ninety birds were generated from the parent stocks for the experiment which belongs to Naked neck, FUNAAB Alpha; Naked neck and Frizzle feather.
Data were collected on; Comb valleys, Comb length, Comb height, Wattle height, Wattle length, Rectal Temperature, Respiratory Rate, Pulse Rate and Heat Stress Index
There was significant (P< 0.05) effect of Pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT), skin temperature (ST) and heat stress index (HSI). For comb height, RT and ST highest values were obtained in 0 -1.0 in FUNAAB Alpha frizzle feather, while indigenous naked neck (INN), 0-1.0 and 1.1-2.0 had the highest values for PR and HSI respectively.
There was significant (P< 0.05) effect of Pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT) and respiratory rate except for skin temperature (ST) and heat stress index (HSI). For comb height, 0-1 and 1.1-2.0 had the highest values for PR in FAFF. While for INN, 2.1-3.0 PR.
There was significant (P< 0.05) effect of Pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR), skin temperature (ST) and heat stress index (HSI). For comb length, 1.6 – 2.0, 1.1-1.5, 0-0.5 and 1.1-1.5 had the highest values for PR, RT, ST and HIS in FAFF. While 1.1-1.5, 0.6- 1.0 and 0-0.5 for PR, RR and HSI had the highest values for INN.
There was significant (P< 0.05) effect of Pulse rate (PR), rectal temperature (RT) and respiratory rate (RR) except for skin temperature (ST) and heat stress index (HSI). For comb length, 0-0.5, 0.6-1.0 and 1.6 – 2.0 had the highest values for PR, RT and RR in FAFF. While 1.1-1.5 and 1.6-2.0 5 had the highest values of PR, RT and RR in INN.
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