Genetic Variability in Immunocompetence and Performance Status of Rhode Island Red Chicken Strains and its Crosses

Abstract

The present investigation envisaged to assess genetic variability in immunocompetence and performance traits in three pure strains of Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicken, viz. RIR S , RIR C & RIR W , and its two crosses, viz. CARI-Sonali and CARI-Debendra. A total of 3232, 1263, 346, 1278 and 1258 eggs of RIR S , RIR C , RIR W , CARI-Sonali and CARI-Debendra, were set in three hatches for performance evaluation. Single hatched out 74, 74, 72, 82 and 81 chicks of corresponding genotypes were investigated for immunocompetence status assessed through haemagglutination (HA) test, Lysoplate Assay and Single Radial Immunodiffusion assay. The data on various immunocompetence and performance traits was recorded and analyzed by least squares analysis of variance. The investigation summarized that pure strains demonstrated better immunocompetence than crosses. RIR W demonstrated highest percent fertility followed by RIR C , RIR S , CARI-Sonali and CARI-Debendra. Highest percent hatchability on total egg set basis was observed in RIR C , whereas CARI-Debendra demonstrated highest percent hatchability on fertile egg set basis. CARI-Debendra demonstrated higher body weights than CARI-Sonali followed by RIR S , RIR W and RIR C strains. CARI-Sonali pullets demonstrated (p<0.05) least AFE than RIR S preceded by RIR W , CARI-Debendra and RIR C . Pullets of crosses had (p<0.05) higher EW28 and EW40 than pure strains. CARI-Sonali pullets had (p<0.05) higher EP40 than RIR S >RIR W =CARI-Debendra>RIR C . There had been significant genotype×sex interaction effect on body weights at 2 nd , 8 th week and onwards. At 2 nd week of age, CARI-Debendra-female showed highest body weight but subsequently CARI-Debendra-males were the heaviest. Effects of hatch, sex and chick weightregression on growth traits as well as of hatch and housing weight-regression on layer production traits were significant. Crosses demonstrated least percent mortality than pure strains during brooding but reverse in laying stage.

Genetic Analysis of Body Conformation and Feed Efficiency Characteristics in a Selected Line of Rhode Island Red Chicken

“…Since the inception of Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar in 1979, this institute has been rearing exotic Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicken and segregated as RIR selected and control pure lines. The selected line performs better with early sexual maturity, heavy egg size and high egg production even more than its control line and white strain (Das et al, 2014a). The chicken lines fit well to the rural backyard system and the farmers are accepting because of high profitability.…”

Assessing growth performance, morphometric traits, meat chemical composition and cholesterol content in four phenotypes of naked neck chicken

“…Njenga (2005) compared the growth of naked neck, frizzle, dwarf, and normal feathered birds from 1-day-old to wk 5, and found significantly higher ( P < 0.05) body weight in naked neck birds than all the other chicken genotypes. Similarly, Adomako et al (2014) observed that body weight and weight gain of naked neck birds was significantly higher ( P < 0.05) as compared to their normal feathered counterparts, suggesting that body weight and weight gain tend to vary among strains ( N'Dri et al, 2005 ; Santos et al, 2005 ; Chatterjee et al, 2007 ; Adekoya et al, 2013 ), varieties ( Khawaja et al, 2012 ; Jatoi et al, 2014 ; Alam et al, 2021 ), breeds ( Singh et al, 1999 ; Thakur et al, 2006 ; Adebambo et al, 2010 ; Oleforuh-Okoleh et al, 2017 ), and genotypes ( Faruque et al, 2007 ; Islam and Nishibori, 2009 ; Sharifi et al, 2010 ; Das et al, 2014b ; Batkowska et al, 2015 ). In contrast to these findings, Duah et al (2020) observed no significant differences ( P > 0.05) between the means of the live weights of the chicken with the three genotypes.…”

Genetic variability in egg production-associated microsatellites in Rhode Island Red chicken

“…Suh et al (2014) reported the observed and expected heterozygosity as 0.295 and 0.739 at ADL0176, 0.278 and 0.305 at MCW0103, and 0.68 and 0.811 at MCW0145, respectively. Das (2013) reported the observed and expected heterozygosity as 0.6667 and 0.6232 for ADL0158, 0.2000 and 0.6105 at ADL0176, and 1.0000 and 0.7536 at MCW0044, respectively, in selected strain of RIR chicken. El-sayed et al (2011) reported higher expected heterozygosity as 0.71 and 0.87 at ADL0273 and MCW0258 locus, respectively.…”

“…egg production is ~225 eggs (Das 2013). Selected strain of RIR (RIR S ) population is showing positive genetic response in egg production, which however has slowed down in the recent past due to loss of variation in population due to long-term selection program.…”