EFFECT OF SEX SEPARATION AT THE FINISHER PHASE ON THE COMPARATIVE GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND BREAST MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

Male and Female Anak strain of broilers were raised on deep litter to investigate the effect of separating the sexes at the finisher phase on growth performance, carcass characteristics and breast muscle development between the sexes. The day-old chicks were raised as mixed sexes for four weeks starter period. Thereafter, 108 of the starter birds were distributed into three sex groups - male, female and mixed, each group replicated thrice and uniformly fed finisher diet for six weeks. The birds .were individually weighed weekly, Six birds representing each sex from each group were dissected at week 10 to compare performance in terms of external body parts, internal organs, fat depot, leg bones and breast muscles. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) between male and female of either sex groups in weekly body weight gains, feed consumption, utilisation, weight of breast muscles, internal organs, and fat deposit. Coefficient of variation was higher in male than female. Percentage male superiority was higher when the birds were raised as separated sexes than mixed. Male broilers raised as separate sex had significantly (P<0.05) heavier neck and thigh than the female, while in the mixed sex group, the male was significantly (P <0.05) higher than the female in back, breast, wing and tibia weights. Males in both sex groups recorded significantly (P<0.05) heavier head, drumstick, shank and femur. The result from this study has shown that there is no statistically significant advantage for separating the broiler chickens into sexes as a management practice during the finisher phase.