Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology 4:29-34 (2016)

Southern Leyte State University, Sogod, Southern Leyte, Philippines

Comparative Study on the Breeding Performance of

Red Jungle Fowl versus Native Roosters under
Confinement System
Francisco F. Buctot, Jr.*
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4425-9992
Southern Leyte State University
San Juan, Southern Leyte, Philippines

Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the production performance of red jungle fowls and
native roosters mated with native hens under confinement system. A total of two red jungle fowl
roosters, two native roosters and eight native hens were randomly assigned to two treatments
with two replications. Each replicate was composed of one rooster and two hens that were
randomly laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Egg weight showed a highly
significant difference at t<0.05 and revealed heavier weight (39.5 g). Comparable results
were obtained in % egg production, %fertility, % hatchability rates, yolk and shell weight, egg
length and width, egg shape index and yolk color score. The performance of RJF regarding
production potential and egg quality traits were comparable with the native chicken.

Keywords: Egg shape index; Fertility; Hatchability

Introduction productivity.
Native chicken are raised predominantly
Strategies for producing sires lines, dam lines under the free-range system, while some
and crosses that differ in production traits are farmers raised them in semi-confinement.
continuing today. Cross-breeding is used to The latest trend promoting organic production
take advantage of heterosis and to combine of chickens among smallholder farmers
stocks in which the performance complement involves native chickens and their crosses
each other or conversely to cover particularly with imported stocks. Organic production
poor performance of a pure strain for a system is a predominantly free range with
commercially pair character. very minimal use of commercial feeds
Native chickens contribute a year-round and biological regularly used in intensive
supply of meat and eggs and provide commercial poultry production.
extra income for backyard farming. Most One of the problems encountered by
farmers prefer to raise native chickens than those who engaged in marketing eggs is on
commercial breeds because of the less maintaining fresh egg quality from producer
input and their inherent ability to survive to consumer. Proper attention to production,
under harsh environmental conditions and distribution and point-of-sale phases are
reproduce even under a minimal care and of vital importance in maintaining egg
marginal management (Lambio, 2000). Most quality. Grading and standardization consist
populations of native chickens, however, have of arranging produce into some uniform
been subjected to little selection for higher categories according to physical and quality

*Correspondence: dr.franciscofbuctotjr [email protected] ISSN (Print): 2545-9724; (Online): 2545-9732

Buctot JSET Vol.4, 2016

characteristics of economic importance.

However, the lack of performance and
breeding records has always been the problem
to improve animal genetic resources of the
native chickens in most developing countries
like the Philippines. As a matter of fact, the
native chicken still contributes to a high degree
on the supply of meat and eggs in the markets
especially in rural areas (Arboleda, 1987).
According to Bondoc (1999), native
chickens constitute genetic niche evolved
by natural selection which is crucial to the
continued animal production in the country.
Unfortunately, the information on the potential
of the different genetic groups of Philippine
native chickens regarding some basic genetic
parameters is still limited. Hence, this study is
conducted to explore the production potential
of red jungle fowl, and native roosters mated
with native hens under confined management
system, and characterize and compare the 1:2) that were randomly laid out in Complete
different egg traits. Randomized Design set up as follows:

Methodology
The red jungle fowl (RJF) native roosters
were geographically acquired in the forest of
Hinundayan, Southern Leyte and the native
chickens were collected from the backyard
raisers. The four roosters were used to
mate the eight native hens that of the first Where:
time to lay eggs at a mating ratio of 1:2. T1 - Native (Rn) x Native
However, the crosses between RJF rooster T2 - Red Jungle Fowl (Rj) x Native
and red jungle fowl were not included in the
study due to difficulties in capturing female During the egg traits assessment, a random
RJF in the forest. The study on breeding sample of four eggs per treatment were
performance was conducted at Biasong, collected and measured for the different egg
Hinundayan Southern Leyte while the egg quality parameters. Moreover, the rest of the
quality traits characterization was done at eggs was measured for the egg production
Southern Leyte State University - San Juan and hatchability. The following data were
Biology laboratory room. taken and adapted from the study of Buctot
A total of four roosters (two Red Jungle and Espina (2015):
Fowl, and two native) and eight native hens
were used in assessing the potential and egg 1. Egg Weight (g) - individually weighed
quality traits of RJF roosters with native hens. using an egg weighing scale.
There were two treatments and a total of eight 2. Egg Quality Traits:
replications. Each replicate was composed of
one rooster and two hens (a mating ratio of a) Yolk weight – after separating from

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Table 1. Egg weight (g), yolk weight (g), and shell weight (g)) of Native Chicken and Red Jungle
Fowls under confinement system.
Treatment Egg weight Yolk weight Shell weight
T1 (Native x Native) 39.5 22.85 5.21
T2 ( RJF x Native) 36.75 22.44 5
t-value 0.000** 0.392ns 0.307ns
RJF-Red Jungle Fowl
∗∗
highly significant (t<0.01)
ns
Not significantly different (t>0.05)

Table 2. Egg length (mm), egg width (mm) and egg shape index (%) of Native chicken and
Red Jungle Fowls under confinement system.
Treatment Length Width Egg Shape Index
T1 (Native x Native) 48.82 35.53 73.19
T2 ( RJF x Native) 47.53 32.29 67.98
t-value 0.228ns 0.07ns 0.0825ns
RJF-Red Jungle Fowl
ns
Not significantly different (t>0.05)

the albumen using yolk separator, 17, while comparison of treatment means was
the yolk was weighed using a digital done using the t-test for equality of variance.
weighing scale.
b) Yolk color – under white background, Results and Discussion
color was evaluated using the
ROCHE Yolk Color Fan. Egg Weight
c) Shell weight with shell membrane,
Egg weights (Table 1) were significantly
grams - egg shell with shell
different between treatment means. The
membrane was weighed using
Native x Native eggs (39.5 g) exhibited
a digital weighing scale
heaviest (t¡0.01) egg weight. As emphasized
d) Egg (shape index), by Alsoyabel et al. (1991), the age of the hen
(widthof egg(mm))
% = (lengthof egg(mm)) x 100 plays a role in determining egg weight, and
e) Number of eggs laid weight increases when the age increases, and
higher body weights are also associated with
f) Number of fertile eggs
bigger eggs.
g) Number of eggs hatched
h) Egg production Egg Quality Traits
%HD= (totalnumberof eggs)
(numberof hen.days) x 100
Yolk weight. Under confinement system, the
i) Fertility
(numberof f ertileegg) yolk proved no significant difference between
% Fertility = x 100
(numberof eggset) treatments (Table 1). It should, however, be
j) Hatchability noted that Native x Native yolk was slightly
% = (numberof chickshatched)
(numberof f ertileeggs) x 100
heavier compared to the RJF x Native). It can
be deduced that yolk weight followed the same
The data collected were subjected to the test trend with the egg weight. Nevertheless, the
of independent sample using the Statistical result showed comparable weights between
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version treatments. Crawford (1990) reported that

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Buctot JSET Vol.4, 2016

Figure 1. Yolk color identification of Red jungle fowl and native rooster mated with native hens under confine
management system.

genetic and non-genetic factors such as the and the time of oviposition. As emphasized
age of the hen, length of storage and seasonsin the study of Narushin et al.(2002), shape
played the significant role in determining index increases until the 5th or sixth month
albumen and yolk quality. of production then decreases gradually. The
eggs laid during the 2nd year of production
had significantly lower shape indices than
Table 3. Yolk color scores of Native chicken eggs laid in the 1st production because older
and Red Jungle Fowl under layers lay eggs longer length but smaller width.
confinement system.
Treatment Yolk Color Score Yolk Color. The result on yolk color scores
T1 (Native x Native) 5 in Table 3 based on the Roche Yolk Color Fan
T2 (RJF x Native) 5 manifested almost similar pale colors between
treatments, and far below the acceptable color
Shell weight. In Table 1, the result was score of 9. North (1984) mentioned that
not significantly different between treatments. some factors affected yolk color such as the
Result proved comparable shell weights fat content of the ration, ingredients of the
between treatments, but it is important to note ration, as well as individual variations played
that the egg weight of Native x Native was a significant role in determining yolk color of
largely influenced by its thick shell. the egg.

Egg Shape Index. The results in Table 2 Production Potential

revealed no significant difference in the egg
in terms of egg length, egg weight and egg The two mating combinations did not differ
shape index between treatments. As per significantly regarding percent egg production,
observation, the strength of the egg shell is egg fertility and hatchability rates (Table 4),
directly related to egg shape index, varied although data proved comparable hatchability
according to the strain of the birds, size of the (Native x Native, 81.94% and RJF x Native,
eggs and the position of the eggs in the clutch 73.80%). Results suggest that the red jungle

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Table 4. Breeding performance of Red jungle fowls and native roosters mated with native hens
under confinement system.
Egg Production
Treatment Fertility (%) Hatchability (%)
(%)
T1 (Native x Native) 70.00 81.93 81.94
T2 ( RJF x Native) 68.33 81.94 73.80
t-value 0.3955ns 0.4995ns 0.1035ns
RJF-Red Jungle Fowl
ns
Not significantly different (t>0.05)

fowls were comparable with the native roosters characteristics of Saudi Arabian Baladi
on the percent egg fertility and hatchability Hens. J. King Saud Univ., 3:201-21
rates. Aside from breed and strains, fertility
and hatchability of eggs for the confined Arboleda, C.R. (1987). “Animal Genetic
and scavenging chickens can be attributed Resources Conservation and
to unbalanced male to female ratio, storage Development in the Philippines.” Animal
condition and duration of the eggs, the age of Production TechnologyJournal 3 (2): 2-7.
the bird, nutrition, disease, management and
environmental factors (North & Bell, 1990). Baird, T., Solomon SE, and Tedstone DR
(1975). Localization and characterization
Conclusion and of egg shell porphyrin in several avian
species. Brit. Poultry Sci, 16:201-208.
Recommendation
The breeding performance of RJF was Bondoc OL. (1999). Biodiversity of Livestock
comparable with the native chicken, but and Poultry Genetic Resources in
they only differ on egg weight due to some the Philippines. IAS-CA/ UPLB and
genetic and non-genetic factors. It is highly PCARRD-DOST.
recommended to increase the number of red
jungle fowl roosters that mated with more Buctot, FF & Espina, DM (2015). Breeding
number of native hens. If possible, RJF Performance and Egg Quality of Red
hens should be included to compare the Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus L.) Under
performance of RJF chickens with that of Confinement System .Journal Science,
native chickens. Future research may include Engineering and Technology Vol. 4:65-75.
genotypic analysis and cryopreservation.
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (2005).
Acknowledgment Crawford, R. D. (1990). Origin and History
The author would like to thank the financial of Poultry Species. Poultry Breeding and
support of Research and Development Office Genetics (Crawford, R. D., Ed.). Elsevier,
of the College of Business and Management, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 1 – 42.
Southern Leyte State University-San Juan.
Garrigus, W. P. (2007).Poultry FarmingIn
:Encyclopedia Britannica.
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