ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN FUNAAB ALPHA, KUROILER, AND NOILER CHICKEN GENOTYPES

Chimezie, Victoria Oluladun; Ayeni, Babawale Daniel; Akande, Babatunde; Akintunde, Adeyinka Oye; Ademola, Abimbola Alice

doi:10.21608/ejap.2025.358142.1102

ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN FUNAAB ALPHA, KUROILER, AND NOILER CHICKEN GENOTYPES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Animal Production, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

² Department of Agriculture and Industrial Technology, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria

10.21608/ejap.2025.358142.1102

Abstract

Bivariate analysis is a tool for determining simple empirical relationships between traits, but it is faced with the problem of multicollinearity; thus, multivariate analysis has become imperative. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the level of genetic relationship and diversity in body weight (BW) and morphological traits of Funaab Alpha chicken (FAC), Kuroiler chicken (KC), and Noiler chicken (NC) genotypes. A total of 450-day-old chicks consisting of 150 each of FAC, KC, and NC were used. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation, and regression. ANOVA showed significant variation in BW with KC having significantly higher (p≤0.05) values (2.07kg) than FAC and NC. The results showed a high degree of sexual dimorphism with the males having significantly higher (p≤0.05) values for BW and all morphometric traits. Correlation and stepwise regression analysis showed significant positive relationships (p≤0.05) between BW and linear body measurements, with body girth, body length, and keel length having the best prediction accuracy for the FAC, KC, and NC, respectively. One principal component was extracted for each of the three genotypes in both sexes. PC1 accounted for the largest variance in BW. Canonical discriminant analysis indicated that BW and shank length were the best-discriminating variables. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that FAC was like KC. Similarities in morphological features were observed between FAC and NC. It was concluded that there is a significant level of relatedness in BW and morphometric traits, and there is the possibility of using these measurements in the characterization of the three genotypes.

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