Abstract
The study evaluated interactive effect of sex by genotype on carcass traits in Nigerian purebred, F1 crosses and F2 upgrade genotypes of Nigerian Chicken raised at T&R Farm in FUNAAB. The genotypes were: Nigerian Indigenous Normal feathered (N), Frizzle-feathered (Fz) and Naked neck (Nk) chickens were crossed with Marshall (M) Exotic breed to obtain F1 (MN, MNk and MFz) and F2 upgrades (MMN, MMFz, MMNk). A population of 500 chicks of 50 per genotype of equal sexes was reared intensively in a randomized completed block design (RCBD) study. The genotypes represented treatments. 200 birds of 20 per genotype of equal sexes at 8 weeks were randomly selected for carcass evaluation. The parameters were: carcass traits and organ measurements. Data collected for carcass were analyzed using GLM of SAS statistical software package. The results showed that sex significantly (p<0.001) influenced all the carcass traits and the internal organs at 8 weeks studied. Males had mean values in all the carcass and organs traits measured significantly higher than the female counterparts. The results showed that genotype significantly (p<0.001) influenced all the carcass traits measured. M genotype had higher mean values in all the carcass traits measured. F2 upgrades comparatively had means significantly similar to M genotype (control). MMFz upgrade had the highest mean live-weight among the F2 upgrades while MMNk upgrade had higher means in eviscerated weight and all the important carcass cuts and the internal organ measurement than MMFz upgrade and MMN though not significantly different among the upgrades. The MNk cross had higher means but relatively similar to the MFz and MNFz counterparts. The Nk genotype emerged the best carcass produced purebred chickens compared to MFz and MNFz. Conclusively, the F2 upgrades carcass performance were similar to the exotic breed in terms of meat ratio. Hence, farmers should use exotic breed to improve chickens for optimal production.