Authors: Olajide Mark Sogunle, Olagoke Ayobami Olaniyi, Lawrence Tokunbo Egbeyale, Olufemi Sunday Akinola, Taofeek A. Shittu, Samuel Soladoye Abiola, Abimbola O. Ladokun, Richard Abayomi Sobayo
Trop Anim Health Prod DOI 10.1007/s 11250-012-0213-2
Abstract
This study was carried out on 150 cockerel chickens each of Harco Black and Novogen strains to determine their performance, carcass yield and meat composition on free range and deep litter
production systems. The birds were brooded for 4 weeks and thereafter allotted to the
different production systems for a period of 12 weeks. Each production system was allotted 150 chicks (75 chicks per strain) with three replicates of 25 chicks. The birds on deep litter production system were fed ad libitum while each bird on free range was fed 50 % of its daily feed requirement. On the
84th day, a total of 36 birds were randomly selected for analysis of the carcass yield and meat composition. The dat generated were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance i a 2 x 2 factorial experimental arrangement. Novogen strai consumed less feed (P<0.05) on free range and had the be
feed/gain (2.72). A higher (P<0.05) shear force valu (3.74 N) was obtained in the thigh muscle for birds on frerange. The tibia proximal length and breadth, and tibia distelength and breadth were significantly (P<0.05) affected by th production systems and strains. On free range, Harco blac
had more meat (85.69 g) than bone (18.07 g) in the breas while Novogen had the lowest meatlbone (2.38). Conclusively, Novogen strain should be raised on free range for a bette performance in terms of feed/gain, but for higher meat com position, Harco black is a better strain.