Agroecology Is Affecting Village Chicken Producers’ Breeding Objective in Ethiopia

This study assessed factors that determine village chicken producers’ trait preferences in different agroecologies of Ethiopia. Three hundred and eighty village chicken producers were sampled for individual interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Inbreeding coefficients of chicken populations in the three major agroecologies were estimated. In addition, the multivariate regression model was employed to evaluate the degree to which agroecological difference and socioeconomic and institutional factors impact village chicken producers’ trait preferences. Egg and meat production for consumption and income generation were the three major village chicken production functions in the study. Plumage color and weight were ranked first for male and female chicken, respectively. Red plumage color (52.4%) was the primary choice followed by white color (24.5%). Agroecology and livestock holding (TLU) significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected farmers’ preference toward economic traits, while land holding significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected reproductive traits. Distance to market significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected farmers’ preference toward adaptive traits. The inbreeding coefficient of 0.25, 0.23, and 0.06 was recorded in low, mid, and highland agroecologies, respectively. The agroecological difference is affecting village chicken producers’ breeding objective in Ethiopia. A higher inbreeding coefficient was observed in the low and mid agroecologies. Future breed improvement programs should give due consideration to village chicken producers’ socioeconomic characteristics and agroecological differences.

An Evaluation of Different Quail Varieties for the Heat Stress Resistance

The aim of this study was to evaluate some biochemical variables under heat-stressed Japanese quail that have different plumage colors for detecting that variety of quail better adapted to heat stress. A total of 100 birds were used in this study. The 25 birds that belong to each four plumage color group were placed in 5-tiered including 3 compartments in each tier plastic cages with subdivided 5 repetitions according to their initial body weights. The statistical significance occurred in LDH (P<0.01). The highest LDH level was found in the Recessive white variety (25.43 mmol/L), followed by Wild type (23.78 mmol/L), Golden (12.87 mmol/L), and Tuxedo (12.71 mmol/L), respectively. The Recessive white group was different from the Golden and Tuxedo groups. According to the results of the current study, there was no significant difference was observed between the four different color varieties of Japanese quail regarding heat stress. However, when LDH is taken into account, it can be thought that the white color may be more sensitive to stress. In order to clarify exactly this situation, more studies that are detailed such as yield performance can be conducted on different quail species.

THE TIT NAMES IN SLAVIC AND FINNO-UGRIC LANGUAGES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

The article presents bookish and dialect tit names in Slavic and Finno-Ugric languages. The Slavic and Finno-Ugric ornithonyms denoting the genus Parus on the whole or the great tit (Parus major L.) were taken as material for analysis. In total, data from 12 Slavic and 14 Finno-Ugric languages and their dialects were analyzed. During the research, the inner form and motivating features of the lexemes were determined, their etymology was revealed. It was found that the Slavic and Finno-Ugric tit names are based on various motivating features: its appearance and plumage color, singing, diet, habits, similarity with other birds, habitat. Herewith, the East and South Slavic bookish tit names have controversial etymology: they may have onomatopoeic or color-semantic origin. At the same time, onomatopoeic lexemes prevail in Finno-Ugric and West Slavic languages. This fact may be an argument in favour of onomatopoeic origin of the East and South Slavic tit names.

Cis-acting mutation affecting GJA5 transcription is underlying the Melanotic within-feather pigmentation pattern in chickens

Melanotic (Ml) is a mutation in chickens that extends black (eumelanin) pigmentation in normally brown or red (pheomelanin) areas, thus affecting multiple within-feather patterns [J. W. Moore, J. R. Smyth Jr, J. Hered. 62, 215–219 (1971)]. In the present study, linkage mapping using a back-cross between Dark Cornish (Ml/Ml) and Partridge Plymouth Rock (ml+/ml+) chickens assigned Ml to an 820-kb region on chromosome 1. Identity-by-descent mapping, via whole-genome sequencing and diagnostic tests using a diverse set of chickens, refined the localization to the genomic region harboring GJA5 encoding gap-junction protein 5 (alias connexin 40) previously associated with pigmentation patterns in zebrafish. An insertion/deletion polymorphism located in the vicinity of the GJA5 promoter region was identified as the candidate causal mutation. Four different GJA5 transcripts were found to be expressed in feather follicles and at least two showed differential expression between genotypes. The results showed that Melanotic constitutes a cis-acting regulatory mutation affecting GJA5 expression. A recent study established the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) locus and the interaction between the MC1R receptor and its antagonist agouti-signaling protein as the primary mechanism underlying variation in within-feather pigmentation patterns in chickens. The present study advances understanding the mechanisms underlying variation in plumage color in birds because it demonstrates that the activity of connexin 40/GJA5 can modulate the periodic pigmentation patterns within individual feathers.

Current Status of Indigenous and Highly Productive Chicken Breeds in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, chicken production plays an important role in providing human food consumption, growth of domestic products, and creating employment opportunities. Despite their importance, the production and reproduction performance of chickens in the country is under expectation owing to the gap between low productive indigenous and low adaptive ability of highly productive chicken breeds. By considering this, the present paper aims to deliver, synthesize, and summarize the compiled information on the current status of indigenous and highly productive chicken breeds. Currently, there are several highly productive chicken breeds available in Ethiopia. Among these, Rhode Island Red, Fayoumi, Potchefstroom Koekoek, Sasso, Bovan Brown, Issa Brown, and Leghorn are being kept under various husbandry systems. Besides, indigenous chicken ecotypes such as barley plumage color, red plumage color, white plumage color, and black plumage color have been characterized in the country. However, the average annual egg production of indigenous and highly productive chicken breeds did not exceed 60 and 250 eggs, respectively. On the other hand, the meat production ability of indigenous chickens is limited as cockerels and pullets may reach 1.5 and 1.05 kilogram live weight at 6 months of age, respectively. Concerning the husbandry system, a majority of owners supplied feed to chickens on the ground and water in plastic containers while scavenging is being the common feeding system in most parts of the country. Furthermore, the majority of the owners are using no separate housing system and treat their chickens traditionally. Thus, awareness should be emphasized on enhancing the improvement of chicken husbandry systems for better production and reproduction performance.