Growth Performance and Reproductive Characteristics of Local Chickens Injected In Ovo L-Arginine and Kalosi Chickens reared Intensive and Free-Range Systems
Wempie Pakiding, Daryatmo, Ihsan A. Dagong, Yelonri Palantik and Nur Aqib Admianto

Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar 90245, Indonesia

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of different rearing systems on growth performance and reproductive characteristics of local chickens resulting from in ovo injection of L-arginine and Kalosi chickens. Forty-eight chickens of 24 chickens from the chickens treated in ovo l-arginine and 24 from Kalosi chickens were tested. The chickens were allotted in to Completely Randomized Design factorial pattern of two types of chickens of treated in ovo l-arginine and Kalosi chickens and two rearing systems of intensive and free-range. The chickens were reared during the grower phase starting from 14 weeks of age until chickens enter the nesting phase which was characterized by most hens having laid eggs. The growth performance of weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion and mortality were measured weekly. While the reproductive characteristics of age in the first laying eggs, the weight of the first egg, and the body weight in the initial of laying eggs were investigated daily when the hens shows the appearance of egg-laying behavior. The results showed that neither the rearing system, nor the type of chicken showed a significant effect on body weight gain, final body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion and mortality. Similarly, the age of first laying eggs and the weight of the first egg were not influenced by the type of chickens and rearing systems, but the rearing systems had a significant effect on the initial body weight of egg laying.

Keywords: Keywords: Growth performance, reproductive characteristics, local chicken, intensive system, free-range system.

Topic: Poultry Production and Nutrition