Abstract
The study was done to characterize the production performance of exotic/Fayoumi chicken/under intensive management condition in semi-arid Ethiopia. Feed consumption, age at 40% egg laying, egg production, mortality rate, hatchability, external and internal their egg quality parameters used as evaluation parameters. Mean feed consumption of starter, grower and layer Fayoumi chicken under intensive management condition in Adami Tulu research center is 48.9±5.5, 71.4±5.4 and 113.5±8.1, respectively. Fayoumi chickens attain sexual maturity at 150 days and produced 159.9± 10.7 eggs in a year. Hatchability and mortality rate is 63.5 and 7.2%, respectively. Egg weight (g), egg length (mm), egg width (mm), shell thickness (mm) and shell weight in percent of egg weight of Fayoumi chicken`s egg was 44.3±4.51, 50.77±2.6, 39.3±1.41, 0.35±0.04 and 13.3, respectively. Yolk color, yolk weight in percent of egg weight, albumin weight in percent of egg weight and egg shape index of Fayoumi chicken is 1.59±0.76, 32.3%, 54.5% and 77.7±3.9, respectively. The result of the present study showed that Fayoumi chicken well adapted to semi-arid Ethiopia and their production performance is better than the indigenous village chicken means it is a good choice for egg producer who can regularly supply supplementary feed. Fayoumi chicken were active can easily escape predators and preferred perch after onset egg lay. Poultry breeder can also use the breed for the production of commercial breed by crossing with others in semi-arid Ethiopia. Key words: Intensive, semi-arid, mortality rate, hatchability, indigenous.
Highlights
In Ethiopia, chicken production plays a great role as a prime supplier of eggs and meat in rural and urban area and as a source of income, especially to women
Even if the breed introduced to Ethiopia previously, is new to semi-arid Ethiopia so characterizing and evaluating their production performance in a new environment is useful to prepare necessary extension packages that contribute for the success of their extension
Age at sexual maturity of Fayoumi chicken under Adami Tulu Research center is similar with the (158.25±7.24) days report of Simeamelak et al (2011) at Meskan Woreda of Gurage Zone, Ethiopia but attain sexual maturity earlier than the study done in northern Ethiopia by Abraham and Yayneshe (2010) in watersheds area, and than the study done at Chittagong Government veterinary College Pahartali by Khatun (2006) due to different managements and climate
Summary
In Ethiopia, chicken production plays a great role as a prime supplier of eggs and meat in rural and urban area and as a source of income, especially to women. Fayoumi chickens are one of the egg producers among the introduced chicken breed to Ethiopia. They have a single medium comb, red earlobes and slate blue legs. It is adaptable and resistance to hot and very dry area of tropical and sub-tropical conditions and originated Egypt (Hossary and Galal, 1994). It is characterized by its large capacity to tolerate harsh environmental conditions of Egypt and its nutritional requirements are limited compared to those of the world breeds (Ghamry et al, 2011). The study was undertaken to characterize and to evaluate their production performance under intensive management system in Adami Tulu Research center
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