Selective Breeding to Improve Productive and Reproductive Performances and Survivability of Indigenous Sakini Chicken

Indigenous chickens are quite popular in Family Poultry Production System (FPPS) in Nepal, but are constrained with their low productive performance. The present study evaluated the productive and reproductive performance of Sakini chicken in different filial generations and sexes. In addition, research also aimed at understanding the effect of generations on above performances. Initially, base populations (G-0) of Sakini were maintained by collecting eight weeks old birds from different agro-ecologial zones of Nepal. Performance of the birds of G-0 was evaluated based on weekly body weight (12-24 weeks), laying performance, fertility, hatchability, hatch weight and survivability. Selected birds of base population (G-0) were used to produce first (G-1), second (G-2) and third (G-3) generations through selective breeding in each generation. Similarly, body weights at hatching, 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 20 week and 24 weeks were significantly (p<0.001) improved from G0 to G3 and were also significantly (p<0.001) differ for sex (males were always heavier than females). Likewise, there was significant (p<0.05) improvement in egg production (per hen per year), age at first lay (days), body weight at sexual maturity, egg number and egg weight at 90 days of laying in progressive generations. Fertility, hatchability and survivability significantly (p<0.05) improved in selected generations in comparison to base population, whereas, no significant difference was obtained within the different selected population. Thus, indigenous Sakini chicken under this experiment performed better with respect to survivability, fertility and hatchability in later generations that provides ample scope of advancing selective breeding activities within the indigenous population in order to bring significant improvement in the overall productive performance of Sakini chicken in Nepal

The Major Chemical Constituents of Teosinte Grown as Mono and Mixed Cropping with Legumes in Different Sowing Date

Teosinte (Euchlaena mexicana) is one of the most popular summer growing cereal fodder, yet with comparatively low level of chemical constituents. The quality of this fodder can be improved through better by cultivation management including sowing dates and mixed cropping with legume. The main objective of this study was to determine the forage quality as reflected by major chemical constituents of pure stands of teosinte and binary mixtures of teosinte with commonly available legumes under different dates of sowing. Four fodder combinations; teosinte mono crop, teosinte+ cowpea, tesosinte+ rice bean, and teosinte+ lablab bean was arranged to cultivate in three different date of sowing in the field in a Split Plot Design with 5 replications. Main plot treatments were different sowing dates and sub-plot treatments were combinations of fodder species. Dry herbage mass production, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and Ash were determined. The results showed that the significantly the highest Dry herbage and CP were obtained from fodder combination teosinte+ cowpea if sown at 18th April, whereas the significantly highest mean values of ADF and NDF were obtained for teosinte mono fodder crop. However, the lowest average value of ADF and NDF was obtained for fodder combination teosinte with cowpea. The average value of Ash and ADL of both harvest for fodder combination and date of sowing was statistically similar (p>0.05). The effect of treatments interaction/combination on cumulative dry herbage was statistically high (p<0.05) when teosinte+ cowpea was sown at 18th April. However, effect of treatments interaction/combination on average value of CP, NDF, ADF, ADL and Ash of both harvests (g/kg DM) was statistically similar (p>0.05). The results showed that mixture of teosinte with cowpea sown at 18th April could be the best combination in terms of quantity as well as for major chemical constituents that could reflect better quality of fodder harvest