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Fiorilla E, Birolo M, Ala U, Xiccato G, Trocino A, Schiavone A, Mugnai C. Productive Performances of Slow-Growing Chicken Breeds and Their Crosses with a Commercial Strain in Conventional and Free-Range Farming Systems. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2540. [PMID: 37570348 PMCID: PMC10417706 DOI: 10.3390/ani13152540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Local chicken breeds play a vital role in promoting sustainability by preserving genetic diversity, enhancing resilience, and supporting local economies. These breeds are adapted to local climates and conditions, requiring fewer external resources and inputs for their maintenance. By conserving and utilizing local chicken breeds, sustainable farming practices can be incentivized, maintaining ecosystem balance and ensuring food security for future generations. The present study aimed at evaluating the growth performance and slaughter traits of two local Italian chicken breeds (Bionda Piemontese and Robusta Maculata) and their crosses with a medium-growth genotype (Sasso chicken®) reared in conventional and free-range farming systems. The conventional system used a high-energy high-protein diet in a closed barn with controlled temperature, humidity, and lighting, and a stocking density of 33 kg/m2. The free-range system used a low-input diet (low-energy low-protein diet composed of local and GMO-free feed ingredients), uncontrolled environmental conditions, and a stocking density of 21 kg/m2 in a barn with free access to an outdoor area. The birds were slaughtered at 84 days of age in both systems. The crossbred chickens showed the best results for growth performance in both farming systems compared to local breeds. Within genotype, the final live weight of chickens was similar in the two farming systems. In conclusion, slow-growth crossbreeds should be used in alternative farming systems, demonstrating better performance than pure local breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Fiorilla
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (U.A.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Marco Birolo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (G.X.); (A.T.)
| | - Ugo Ala
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (U.A.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Gerolamo Xiccato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (G.X.); (A.T.)
| | - Angela Trocino
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (G.X.); (A.T.)
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università, 16, 35020 Padova, Italy
| | - Achille Schiavone
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (U.A.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Cecilia Mugnai
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy; (U.A.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
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Secci G, Addeo NF, Rodriguez LFP, Bovera F, Moniello G, Parisi G. In vivo performances, ileal digestibility, and physicochemical characterization of raw and boiled eggs as affected by Tenebrio molitor larvae meal at low inclusion rate in laying quail (Coturnix japonica) diet. Poult Sci 2021; 100:101487. [PMID: 34731738 PMCID: PMC8571075 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A total of 120, twelve wk old female Japanese quails were divided into 4 groups (6 replicates of 5 birds each). The control group (CON) fed a corn-soybean diet; in the other 3 groups, Tenebrio molitor larvae meal (TML) replaced 5, 10, and 20% of the soybean protein (T5, T10, and T20). The laying performance and egg quality were studied for 54 d. The data were processed by a one-way ANOVA; the orthogonal contrast analysis was performed to test the linear, quadratic and cubic effects among the means. The laying rate and egg mass linearly decreased (P < 0.01) as the TML inclusion level in the diet increased. The egg weight and feed conversion ratio linearly increased from the control to T20 diet (P < 0.01) while the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein linearly decreased (P < 0.05). The albumen and yolk weight showed a linear increase (P < 0.01) due to dietary TML inclusion, while the eggshell weight showed the opposite (P < 0.05). The estimated activity of Δ9-desaturase (C16:0), Δ5+Δ6-desaturase on both polyunsaturated fatty acid n-6 and n-3 linearly increased (P < 0.05) as affected by dietary TML. The boiled yolk lightness (L*) showed higher values in T5 and T10 groups (quadratic contrast, P < 0.01). The yolk redness index (a*) showed lower values in T5 and T20 than control and T10 groups (cubic contrast, P < 0.01). The albumen L*, a*, and b* indexes showed a significant effect of the quadratic contrast (P < 0.05). In addition, the albumen b* index showed a significant effect of the cubic contrast (P < 0.01). The total lipids showed the highest values (cubic contrast, P < 0.05) in the T10 and T20 groups. The total monounsaturated fatty acids linearly increased (P < 0.05) according to the increase of dietary TML. The best inclusion level of defatted TML meal for laying quails seems to be 1.4% of diet, corresponding to the T5 diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Secci
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Firenze 50144, Italy
| | - Nicola F Addeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli 80137, Italy
| | - Lina F Pulido Rodriguez
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Firenze 50144, Italy
| | - Fulvia Bovera
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Napoli 80137, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Moniello
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari 07100, Italy
| | - Giuliana Parisi
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Firenze 50144, Italy
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Isa AM, Sun Y, Shi L, Jiang L, Li Y, Fan J, Wang P, Ni A, Huang Z, Ma H, Li D, Chen J. Hybrids generated by crossing elite laying chickens exhibited heterosis for clutch and egg quality traits. Poult Sci 2020; 99:6332-6340. [PMID: 33248549 PMCID: PMC7704758 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.08.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Crossbreeding advantage in hybrids compared with their parents, termed heterosis, has been exhaustively exploited in chicken breeding over the last century. Reports for crossbreeding of elite laying chickens covering rearing and laying period remain infrequent. In this study, resource populations of Rhode Island Red (RIR) and White Leghorn (WL) pure-bred chickens were reciprocally crossed to generate 4 distinct groups that were evaluated for prelaying growth, egg production, and egg quality. Birds monitored for prelaying growth consists of 105 (RIR), 131 (WL), 207 (RIR × WL) and 229 (WL × RIR), and 30 pullets from each group were evaluated. Egg laying records were collected from 102, 89, 147, and 191 hens in the 4 populations, respectively. In addition, expression of 5 candidate genes for egg production in the ovarian follicles was measured by RT-qPCR. Results showed that BW of hatched chicks in the WL line was higher than the other populations. However, the 2 crossbreds grew faster than WL purebred throughout the prelaying period. Low to medium heterosis was observed for BW and body length before the onset of lay. White Leghorn and the hybrids commenced laying earlier than RIR pullets and egg production traits were favorable in the crossbreds compared with purebreds. Heterosis for egg number and clutch size was moderate in WL × RIR but low in RIR × WL hens. Expression of antimullerian hormone gene was high in WL and RIR × WL hybrids, suggesting WL parent-specific enhancing dominant expression. Shell weight was higher in the crossbreds than purebreds at 52 wk of age, but RIR hens laid eggs with higher shell ratio than the other populations (P < 0.05). Conversely, WL and the hybrids had higher eggshell strength than RIR birds (P < 0.05). Eggshell strength was the only egg quality trait that showed heterosis above 10% in WL × RIR hybrids at 32 and 52 wk of age. White Leghorn × RIR hens demonstrated higher percent heterosis for economic traits than birds of the reciprocal hybrid. This means that RIR breed is a better dam than a sire line for growth, egg laying, and egg quality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adamu M Isa
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; Department of Animal Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Yanyan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Linlin Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yunlei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing Fan
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Panlin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Aixin Ni
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ziyan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dongli Li
- Beijing Bainianliyuan Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd., Beijing 101500, China
| | - Jilan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal (Poultry) Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
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Ahmad S, Mahmud A, Hussain J, Javed K. Morphometric Traits, Serum Chemistry and Antibody Response of Three Chicken Genotypes under Free-Range, Semi-Intensive and Intensive Housing Systems. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF POULTRY SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1590/1806-9061-2018-0921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S Ahmad
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pakistan
| | - A Mahmud
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pakistan
| | - J Hussain
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pakistan
| | - K Javed
- University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pakistan
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