Assessment of production capacity of three combinations of hybrid chickens

The research was conducted at the Pho Yen Chicken Research Station, Thuy Phuong Poultry Research Center, from January 2019 to August 2020 to evaluate the productive ability of the combinations of hybrid parent hens (♂TN1 x ♀TN2, ♂TN1 x ♀TN3, ♂TN1 x ♀TN32) and commercial chicken TN12, TN13, TN132. The results achieved: 3 parent hen hybrid combinations (♂TN1 x ♀TN2, ♂TN1 x ♀TN3, ♂TN1 x ♀TN32) have the egg yield/hen/68 weeks of age and feed consumption/10 eggs are 191.74 eggs and 2.30 kg; 196.32 eggs and 2.27 kg; 198.78 eggs and 2.25 kg respectively. The rate of embryo reaches 97.43, 97.07, and 97.67%. The commercial chickens TN12, TN13, TN132 have the body weight at 8 weeks of age and feed consumption/kg body weight gain are 2440.07 and 2.29 kg; 2360.12 and 2.26 kg; and 2407.15 g and 2.22 kg respectively.

Comparison of Selection Signatures between Korean Native and Commercial Chickens Using 600K SNP Array Data

Korean native chickens (KNCs) comprise an indigenous chicken breed of South Korea that was restored through a government project in the 1990s. The KNC population has not been developed well and has mostly been used to maintain purebred populations in the government research institution. We investigated the genetic features of the KNC population in a selection signal study for the efficient improvement of this breed. We used 600K single nucleotide polymorphism data sampled from 191 KNCs (NG, 38; NL, 29; NR, 52; NW, 39; and NY, 33) and 54 commercial chickens (Hy-line Brown, 10; Lohmann Brown, 10; Arbor Acres, 10; Cobb, 12; and Ross, 12). Haplotype phasing was performed using EAGLE software as the initial step for the primary data analysis. Pre-processed data were analyzed to detect selection signals using the ‘rehh’ package in R software. A few common signatures of selection were identified in KNCs. Most quantitative trait locus regions identified as candidate regions were associated with traits related to reproductive organs, eggshell characteristics, immunity, and organ development. Block patterns with high linkage disequilibrium values were observed for LPP, IGF11, LMNB2, ERBB4, GABRB2, NTM, APOO, PLOA1, CNTN1, NTSR1, DEF3, CELF1, and MEF2D genes, among regions with confirmed selection signals. NL and NW lines contained a considerable number of selective sweep regions related to broilers and layers, respectively. We recommend focusing on improving the egg and meat traits of KNC NL and NW lines, respectively, while improving multiple traits for the other lines.

Intermixing of Commercial Pure Breed Chickens with Indigenous (Sakini) Breed of Nepal

The intermixing of pure breeds of commercial chickens with Nepalese indigenous flock of chickens has not been explored yet genetically. The study aims to investigate the status of interbreeding of Nepalese indigenous chickens with exotic breeds. Thirty three samples of indigenous chicken, Sakini, from three different ecological regions, Terai, mid-hill and high hill, were taken for the study. The 522 bp hyper-variable region of D loop mtDNA of each sampled population was PCR amplified and sequenced. The Neighbor joining tree revealed that most of Nepalese Sakini and commercial chickens such as New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, White Plymouth Rock and Barred Plymouth Rock lied in same clade. Our study provides first direct evidence that the Sakini was already bred with commercial breeds for the sake of enhancing production performance and also alarms the government to introduce proper strategies and policies to avoid such genetic erosion.

Garlic (Allium sativum Linn) Mitigates Experimentally induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Commercial Chickens

Intoxication as well as infectious and metabolic diseases resulting in liver and kidney damage are major causes of losses in poultry species. While there are no specific drugs for reversal of pathophysiology of the liver and kidney, certain herbs such as garlic have been shown to improve livability of livestock and poultry. Its probable potential at enhancing the functionality of these organs in the face of injuries/insults by intoxication was investigated. Chicken subgroup supplemented with 0.25% garlic-meal and administered 300mg/kg acetaminophen at 8week-old (G1; n=25) and subgroup without acetaminophen (G2; n=25), those not supplemented and without acetaminophen (NG2; n=25) and those not initially supplemented but administered acetaminophen and later supplemented (NG1g; n=20) had higher Newcastle disease vaccinal antibody titers (8.0±0.25, 7.5±0.24, 7.6±0.23, 8.14±0.31, respectively) in comparison with subgroup without supplementation and administered acetaminophen (NGI; n=25 - 7.13±0.38). Serum protein levels had a similar pattern. AST levels (U/L) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in acetaminophen subgroups G1 (79.4±5.79) and NG1 (83.7±7.5) than their respective controls G2 (75.1±7.85) and NG2 (65.2±6.84) with no corresponding increase in CK levels. At 2-, 7- and 14-days post-administration of acetaminophen (paa), creatinine (mg/dl) was significantly higher in G1 (1.44±0.01, 1.42±0.01, 1.44±0.02) and NG1 (1.47±0.01, 1.51±0.01, 1.47±0.01) than in G2 (1.16±0.05, 1.23±0.01, 1.26±0.06) and NG2 (1.31±0.06, 1.29±0.02, 1.31±0.05). A similar pattern was observed at 21 days paa. Clinical signs and pathological lesions associated with toxic dose of acetaminophen in liver and kidneys were reversed (NG1g). Thus, exhibiting the potential of garlic in protection against hepatorenal damage or injury.