Laying performances and egg quality characteristics of F1 crossbred hens resulting from Label Rouge (T55XSA51) and two local ecotypes as parental lines

Abstract

The laying performances and the egg quality characteristics of hens of different genotypes were studied, namely:
the; local hens of savannah ecotype (Es) , the local hens of forest ecotype (Ef), the Label Rouge (Lr or T55xSA51)
and its crossbred products with local ecotypes: LrxEs, EsxLr and EfxLr. In family poultry farms, the hatching rate
(HR), the fertility rate (FR), the average brood size (ABSH) at hatching and at the weaning (ABSW), the egg weight
(EW) and the chick’s body weight (BWC) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in local hens of savannah type than
those obtained in local hens of forest ecotype. The highest laying rate (RL) was obtained on station with the hens
of Lr breed (41%) followed by the LsxLr crossbred (36%) and the Ls hens. The most fertile hens were those of the
local ecotypes (Es, Ef) with a fertility rate (FR) “taken from 88 to 90%”followed by the hens of genotypes EsxLr and
EfxLr (82 to 84%), the Lr hens (77%) and the LrxEs (68%). At the laying, the eggs of the Label Rouge were
significantly heavier (P<0.001) than those of the crossbred hens. The lightest EW was obtained in the local hens of
the two ecotypes. A significant (p<0.05) negative heterosis effects was found for the traits egg weight, egg yolk and
egg white in the crosses involving females Lr. In crosses involving males Lr, a significant (p<0.01) heterosis was
observed only for egg weight. The crossing EsxLr is the best adapted for the genetic improvement of local
chickens of Benin.