Phenotypical Characteristics and Productive Performance of Multi-Toes Chicken Raised in The National Park of Xuan Son, Tan Son District, Phu Tho Province

Abstract

     The multi-toes chicken breed is a precious genetic resource associated with livelihood and culture of several ethnic minorities in the National Park of Xuan Son, Tan Son District, Phu Tho Province. This study was conducted on 60 households raising these chickens in two communes of Xuan Son and Xuan Dai. A sample of 200 adult chickens was phenotypically characterized based on the feather colors, the comb shape and toes. The multi-toes broilers (60 chickens/herd, 30 males and 30 females) were fed for a 12-week period to evaluate growth performance and ten were used for carcass quality assessment. The result shows that the multi-toes chickens possessed unique phenotype, most of them had 6 to 8 toes (99%), chickens withs with 5 or 9 toes were rare (0.5% to 1%). 80% of hens

had 5 to 7 toes and 9.84% had 8 toes. No hens with 9 toes were observed. Plumage colors of the roosters are mainly brown-red (95%). The predominant plumage colors in hens were yellow (56%) and grey (20%). Hens of this breed reached sexual maturity at about 28 weeks of age with 1.25 kg body weight. Each hens laid averagely 12.06 eggs/brood with 6.3 broods/year and 75.98 eggs/hen/year, with the average egg weight of 39.70 g. The weight of 12 week-old broiler was 1142g. The carcass yield was 68%, while thigh meat and breast meat accounted for 18% and

17%, respectively. The meat quality is excellent, very sweet taste and delicious and the selling price is 2.5-3.0 times more expensive than that of other chicken breeds.