BODY DIMENSIONS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF MULTI- TOES CHICKEN IN THAI NGUYEN

Abstract

The multi-toes chicken breed is a precious genetic resource associated with livelihood and culture of  everal ethnic in Nguyen province. This study was conducted on  total 215 chickens, divided into 3 flocks corresponding to 3 replicates to assess the body dimensions and growth performance. The chickens aged from 0 to 20 week were raised followed Vietnamese feeding standard (TCVN2265- 1994) and uesed feed of Hoa Ky feed company. Results showed that the local chickens had multi-tose, the body dimensions of chickens at 8 weeks and 20 weeks of age, the cock is always taller than the hen; The body length of the cock is 13.1 cm and 16.93 cm, the hen is 11.12 cm and 13.99 cm, the cock’s breast circumference is 22.13 cm and 28.77 cm, and the hen's is 19.74 cm and 25.66 cm; The weight of one day old chicks is 33.3 gram,  and 20 weeks old hen and cock reached 1.523 gram and 1.741 gram and 1430.63 gram, respectively with feed conversion ratio of 4.71. The obtained results are the basis for providing more information about the multi-toes chicken breed in Thai Nguyen.