Six hundred and eight day-old chicks of Ross 308 and Cobb Avian 48 broiler strains were used in a 49-day experiment to examine the effects of genotype and sex on the growth performance and carcass characteristics. Body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality rate were recorded. Over all, genotype had a significant effect only on feed conversion ratio, Cobb being a better efficient in converting feed than Ross. Males consumed more feed, utilized the feed more efficiently, gained more body weight, and were heavier at 49 days of age than females but had a higher mortality rate. There were significant genotype × sex interaction effects on 49-day body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, and mortality rate. As regards carcass characteristics, genotype affected only liver weight with a heavier liver in Cobb than Ross. Sex significantly affected carcass, back, wing, leg, liver, gizzard, and abdominal fat weights with higher means for males than females for all the traits except abdominal fat weight where females had higher means than males. Genotype × sex interaction effects significantly influenced carcass, breast, back, wing, leg, and liver weights.
Ross 308 and Cobb Avian48 broilers were raised at stocking densities of 30, 40, and 50 kg BW/m(2) during 49-day production period in winter and summer. The effect of season, genotype, and stocking density on growth performance and carcass characteristics was investigated. Ross 308 consumed more feed, gained more body weight, and was heavier than Cobb at slaughter age. Chickens raised in winter consumed more feed, gained more body weight and were heavier at slaughter age but had a higher mortality rate than those raised in summer. Broilers raised at the stocking density of 30 kg BW/m(2) gained more body weight and were heavier at 49 days than those raised at 40 and 50 kg BW/m(2). There was a progressive reduction in feed intake with increasing stocking density but neither season, genotype nor stocking density influenced feed conversion ratio. There was a genotype effect on the percentage gizzard weight, while stocking density influenced the percentage weights of carcass, breast, gizzard, heart and abdominal fat. There were genotype × stocking density interaction effects on feed consumption during the grower and finisher stages as well as the relative weights of breast, gizzard and heart. It is suggested that for profitable broiler production in the tropics and subtropics Ross 308 reared at stocking density of 30 kg BW/m(2) preferably in winter be considered.
National challenges of food insecurity and unemployment in South Africa prompted an increase in expectations for agricultural land acquired through land reform programmes to make meaningful contributions. Embedded in these expectations is the need for understanding the situation in reformed farms. This study reviewed policies and literature on land reform, and analyzed beneficiary participation in reformed farms and the impact of land reform on land use in land restitution and land redistribution farms in the Waterberg District Municipality. Data were collected through individual surveys, key informants interviews and stakeholder workshop. Beneficiary participation levels were significantly lower in restitution farms (18% per farm) than in redistribution farms (65% per farm). The changes in land redistribution policy over time resulted in significant differences in beneficiary participation among land redistribution models, with participation levels increasing with time. Land redistribution model SLAG had the lowest beneficiary participation level (19% per farm) while the latest model PLAS had the highest (100% per farm). The changes in land redistribution policy over time resulted in significant differences in extent of land used among land redistribution models, though the trend was not systemic. On average, redistribution farms under SLAG and LRAD2 models used ≤70% of the farm land, while farms under LRAD1 and PLAS models used more than 90% of the farm land. The research approach used in this study found similar results in beneficiary participation to those in literature where case studies approach was used in restitution farms. On the contrary, in redistribution farms the research approach resulted in findings that differed from case study literature and revealed the needs for representative sample and time if conclusive recommendations were to be reached.
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