FREE RANGE AND DEEP LITTER HOUSING SYSTEMS: EFFECT ON PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD PROFILE OF TWO STRAINS OF COCKEREL CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the performance and blood profile of one hundred and fifty cockerel chickens each of Harco Black and Novogen strains raised on deep litter and free range production systems. Each production system was allotted 150 chicks in three replications of 25 chicks per strain. The birds on deep litter production system were fed ad libitum while each of the birds on free range was fed 50 % of its daily feed requirement. The birds were weighed weekly. Blood plasma and serum were collected at the 4th and 12th weeks for laboratory analyses. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance in a 2×2 factorial arrangement. Novogen strain consumed less feed (P<0.05) on free range and had the best feed: gain (2.72 ± 0.14). At the 4th week, strain significantly (P<0.05) affected the packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, serum total protein, serum albumin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and was evident at the 12th week. In conclusion, Novogen strain should be raised on free range for a better performance in terms of feed: gain but in the blood profile, the two strains of birds could be managed in any of the production systems.