International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research

A total of 44 mature chickens (about 50 weeks old) males and females inbred naked necked and Frizzle Feathered chickens were crossed to generate a total of 180 day-old(97 Na x Na and 83 F x F chicks) realized from main and reciprocal crossbreeding were used in the study. Mean dayold weights of the Inbreds( Main crossbreds) were 22.17g, 23.87g, 25.50g for (Na x Na), (F x F) and (Na x F) respectively and were significantly (P<0.05) lower than the mean day-old weight of 29.50g for the reciprocal(F x Na) crossbred chickens. These reciprocal crossbreds maintained their superiority in body weight, had higher feed intake and better feed conversion as well as body weight gains till the end of the experiment at 16 week. The Linear Body Measurements (LBMs). Body length, Wing length, Keel length, Breast width except shank length were longer in the reciprocal crossbreds than in their main cross counterpart. The final range of body weights achieved in the inbreds, Main crossbreds (654.0g, 773.67, 895.96g) for (Na x Na, F x F) and Na x F respectively were significantly lower (P<0.05) than 972.83g for the reciprocal crossbred depicting the inbreds and main crossbreds as light weight birds which could be developed as egg-laying strains or lines and the reciprocal crosses as heavy weight strains which can be developed as meat type or dual purpose birds. Results of the experiment on heterosis performance (table 2) showed positive heterosis with significant differences (P<0.05) among the F1 progenies(Main and reciprocal) over their parents in all parameters monitored. In general, the performance of these crossbred chickens showed evidence of maternal influence with each group behaving like its dam-of-origin. The reciprocal crossbred chickens outperformed all other genetic groups with respect to body weight and other growth parameters development. The percentage heterotic superiority of the reciprocal crossbreds over the mean inbred parents showed that the Frizzle gene may be advantageous in producing fast growing chickens in derived savannah tropics.