Testing of growth performances and meat tenderness in crossbred chicken from Thai indigenous sire and commercial dam

Abstract

This research aimed to test the commercial products of crossbred chicken, direct genetic effect and specific combining ability from 40 Thai indigenous sires from four indigenous sire breeds (Pradu-Hangdam, Leung-Hangkao, Chee, and Dang) and 200 commercial dams from two commercial dam (CD1 and CD2). Sires obtained from Thai Department of Livestock Development and dams obtained from chicken company were used in this study. The 2 x 4 Factorial in RCBD was designed. Growth performances at different ages, breast width, breast circumstance, carcass percentage, and meat tenderness at 16 weeks of age from eight combinations of sire x dam breed were performed in the analysis. The results showed that at sixteen weeks of age, Pradu-Hangdam gave the highest body weight and average daily gain when crossing with CD1 (P<0.05). However, crossing between all Thai indigenous sire breeds and CD2 showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The breast width, breast circumstance, and carcass percentage were not different in both male and female for all combination of sire x dam breeds (P>0.05). General combining ability (GCA) analysis showed that the additive genetic effects for growth performance could be ranked as Pradu-Hangdam > Leung-Hangkao > Chee > Dang, respectively. It was also found that Pradu-Hangdam had the highest additive genetic effects for breast and thigh tenderness whereas Leung-Hangkao had the lowest (P<0.05). In addition, the GCA of CD2 was higher than CD1 both body weight and average daily gain at all ages, and also breast width at 16 weeks of age. The specific combining ability (SCA) analysis showed that genetic effects for growth performance and breast width at 16 weeks of age were similar in all four breeds of Thai indigenous x CD2; on the other hand, crossing between Pradu-Hangdam and CD1 gave the best genetics for growth, breast tenderness, and carcass quality at 16 weeks of age. Therefore, crossing between Pradu-Hangdam and CD1 should be best for growth performances, meat tenderness, and genetic effects in crossbred chicken.