Improvement, Utilization and Conservstion Project for Philippine Native Chickens (Darag Type) in Western Visayas II. Dispersal of the Technology to Farmer Cooperators (Progeny Testing)

Bernabe  B. Cocjin,; George Fredrick  A. Roxas,; Celma  G. Casiple,; Ray  L. Arenga,

Improvement, Utilization and Conservstion Project for Philippine Native Chickens (Darag Type) in Western Visayas II. Dispersal of the Technology to Farmer Cooperators (Progeny Testing)

Bernabe B. Cocjin | Ray L. Arenga | George Fredrick A. Roxas | Celma G. Casiple

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science

Abstract:

A total of 15,555 eggs were collected from the Darag type "open nucleus" breeder chicken raised at a ratio of 5 females to 1 male. Of this number, 15,302 were incubated and hatched in a total of 113 batches for the period May 3, 2002 to August 8, 2005. A total of 5,347 chicks were hatched and out of this number 2,970 "hardened" chicks were distributed to 82 cooperators in 93 deliveries to record the production performance of the Darag birds in the farm until they reached the age of 120 days. The average egg weight was 43 g. Average fertility of the eggs was 59.9 %, while hatchability was 58.3 % which was due to the procurement of improved and standardized incubators. Average age of the birds delivered to the cooperators was 48.5 days old. The average age at harvest was 119.6 days, which meant that the cooperators raised the birds for an average of 71.1 days. Average bird weight at the time of delivery was 348.1 g, while the average weight at harvest was 835 g, and average daily gain was 6.96 g. Mortality of 19.0 % was quite high. Mortality and weight at harvest time as well as % mortality and weight gain were negatively correlated. Some cooperators recorded increasing % mortality with succeeding batches.