COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL STRAINS OF LAYER CHICKENS REARED IN SEMI ARID TROPICS AND FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH VITAMIN C

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the performance of Lohmann Brown Classic (LBC) and Nera Black (NB) strains of layer chicken fed diet supplemented with vitamin C. One hundred and twenty (120) 28 weeks old laying hens (Sixty for each strain) were assigned to four treatments in a completely randomized design and a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement made up of two strains (LBC and NB) and Vitamin C supplementation (0 and 0.25g/kg feed). Each treatment was replicated thrice with ten birds per replicate. Hen day egg production, egg weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, feed cost and weight change were measured and computed. Data obtained were analyzed using the general linear models (GLM) procedure. The results of the study showed that final body weight (kg/bird) of LBC (1.84kg/bird) and NB (1.80kg/bird) were similar. The average weight change of LBC (3.40%) was higher (P<0.05) than that of NB (0.34%).  The daily feed intake (g/bird) of LBC (157.45) was higher (P<0.05) than that of NB (144.00). Feed conversion ratio (g feed/dozen eggs), egg weight and feed cost/crate (₦) were similar (P>0.05) for the two strains. The LBC strain laid more (P<0.05) eggs (88.17) than the NB strain (78.55). Vitamin C supplementation did not affect (P>0.05) all the performance indices evaluated in the study except for feed cost/crate. Feed cost/crate (₦) of the hens fed with vitamin C (836.90) was higher than those fed without vitamin C (660.34). Both LBC and NB strains performed almost similarly.