MVSc

An experiment was conducted at Kerala Agricultural University Poultry Farm,
Mannuthy, to evaluate and compare the production traits of Naked Neck x White
Leghorn (NNWL) and Naked Neck x New Hampshire (NNNH) crosses under deep
litter system of rearing from '20 to 40 weeks 'lge. Seventy five pullets of' each cross
were housed in identical pens of 15 birds cach and production performance was
evaluated for five 28- day periods from February to July 1999. Standard feeding and
managemental practices were followed throughout the study .
. The NNNH were heavier than NNWL at 20 weeks of age (1855.6 vs l496.lg)
and at 40 weeks of age (2436.7 and 2004.1 g). The age at first egg of l46.8±1.48 days
in NNNH was significantly earlier than 152±1.3days in NNWL. The age at 50 per
cent production was similar in NNWL (162.4 ±1.92 days) and NNNH (164.6 ±1.7
days). The week-wise mean hen housed production in NNWL reached a peak of 80.57
per cent at 26th week of age, while NNNH attained a peak of 81.0 per cent at zs"
week of age. The overall mean hen housed number up to 40 weeks of age was 86.39
in NNWL and 83.85 in NNNH. Hen day production remained the same as hen housed
production up to 39th week of age and the overall trend was similar.
The daily feed consumption from 21 to 40 weeks of age was 124.83g in
NNWL and l2S.l4g in NNNH.,The feed conversion ratio per dozen eggs was 2.89 for
NNWL and 3.01 for NNNH. Broodiness was shown by nine birds in NNWL for
durations ranging from 9 to 63 days while eight birds in NNNH were broody for
durations ranging from 22 to 69 days. The mean egg weight from 21 -- 40 weeks was

48.73g in NNWL and 48.44 g in NNNH. The shell thickness was 0.376 mm in
NNWL and 0.373 in NNNH. The Haugh unit score was 84.78 in NNWL and 88.00 in
NNNH. The plumage Colour in NNWL was off white, but a few birds showed
brownish colour on wing feathers. 90 per cent of the NNNH birds had chestnut
coloured plumage resembling New Hampshire birds while the rest were multi
coloured resembling indigenous Naked Neck birds. Egg shell was tinted in NNWL
while NNNH eggs were brown or shades of brown. The livability was 98.7 percent
in NNWL, while it was 100 per cent in NNNH. The cost of feed consumed per egg
was 202.12 paise for NNWL and 208.94 paise for NNNH [or the entire course of the
study.



Both NNWL and


H cross had statistically comparable hen housed



production, egg weight, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio. Both the crosses
had excellent livability and good egg quality. However a significantly higher body
weight both at 20 and 40 weeks of age, earlier average age at first egg, coloured
plumage pattern, and brown shelled eggs in NNNH cross are much preferred by rural
farmers, The results of the present study warrants further studies on Naked Neck x
New Hampshire cross under field conditions.