Growth performance, egg production and exterior egg quality characteristics of Kuroiler chickens in selected sites of Babati district of northern Tanzania

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of farmers management on performance of Kuroiler chickens in five selected villages of Babati district. Parameters evaluated were growth performance, egg production and egg external quality. The results showed that there was variation of weight gain and average daily weight gain between farmers (P < 0.001). This might be contributed by farmers management, age of the chicken and due to the interaction effects of farmers management and chicken age. The rate of weight gain was slightly variable across farmers (P < 0.05) and action sites (P < 0.05), mainly due to management and age. The chickens attained promising live weights ranging from 1,342.3 to 2,691.7 g at 18 weeks and 1,535.9 to 3,039.1 g at 20 weeks. Egg production was also affected by management especially feeding and nutrition, in which most chicken started to lay eggs at the age between 18–20 weeks. Egg laying was characterised by an increasing trend progressively with days from the first egg laying. However, slight variation in egg laying intensity was noted across farmers and action sites. The exterior egg physical quality characteristics were slightly variable across farmers and the selected action sites. Kuroiler chicken eggs recorded higher weights than the corresponding local chicken eggs (P < 0.05). Egg weight of Kuroiler chicken eggs were higher (52.2–58.7 g) than their counterpart local chicken eggs (43.8–47.9 g), (P < 0.001). Similarly, Kuroiler chicken eggs recorded both higher egg length and egg width than local chicken eggs. Most Kuroiler chicken eggs had normal/ standard shape index (SI: 72.9–75.2%) comparable to the local chicken eggs (74.7–76.1%).