A study of Growth and Carcass Yield of Betong Chickens Compared with those of Native and Crossberd Betong x Native Chickens

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to determine the growth rate and carcass yield of Betong (B) compared with those of crossbred Native (male) x Betong (female) (NB), crossbred Betong (male) x Native (female) (BN), and Native chickens (N). Day-old straight chickens were placed on battery cages and were slaughtered at 16 weeks of age. Body weight (BW) of B was consistently greater than (P<0.05) the other 3 breeds for the duration of the study, from hatching (32.80) to 16 weeks (2.486 kg) while the average cumulative feed conversion ratios for these periods were 1.80 and 3.79, respectively. BW of NB and BN were similar through the study even though at hatching BN had BW lower than NB (28.30 versus 32.40 g, respectively). Weights of B of whole carcass and carcass parts B were considerably greater than those of (P<0.05) the others, with this difference pronounced in both sexes. Yield (expressed on a percentage of chilled carcass weight basis) of pectoralis major of B in male (14.67%) was greater than (P<0.05) those of the other breed, and the same difference was shown in female (17.10%). However, there was no difference in yield of pectoralis minor among the 4 breeds of both sexes. Thigh yield of B, NB and BN in male were 18.15, 18.74 and 18.40% respectively, greater than (P<0.05) that of N (17.17%). Both yield of drumsticks and wings of B in male were fewer than the others whereas there was no difference in female. Yield of abdominal leaf fat was affected by sex, the greater yield was in female, whereas there was no difference among the 4 breeds of chickens.