Author(s)

Cyrille D’Alex Tadondjou, Ferdinand Ngoula, Ferdinand Ngoula, Henry Fuelefack Defang, Herve Kuietche Mube, Alexis Teguia

.
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.

This study was designed to examine the effects of dietary energy levels on some growth and reproductive parameters of local barred chickens in Cameroon. For this purpose, One hundred and forty four day-old barred male chicks, weighing 28.33 g in average were randomly divided into 12 groups of 12 chicks each. Three feeding programs (FP) comprising each a starter diet from day old to 12 weeks (S0: 2800 Kcal/Kg; S1: 2900 Kcal/Kg; S2: 3000 Kcal/Kg) and grower diet from 13 to 20 weeks (G0: 2900 Kcal/Kg; G1: 3000 Kcal/ Kg; G2: 3100 Kcal/Kg) were used and designated FP1, FP2 and FP3 respectively. Each of the FP was randomly allotted of 4 groups of 12 birds in a completely randomized design. Throughout experiment (1 day old to 20 weeks), body weight was recovered every 2 weeks. At 20 weeks of age, roosters were sacrificed; semen characteristic was analyzed and testes were characterized. Between 2 to 10 weeks old, body weight of cocks fed with FP3 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) as compared to others FP. Inversely, from 12 to 20 weeks, body weight of cocks receiving FP1 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of cocks receiving feeding programs 2 and 3. At 20 weeks, 100% of cocks fed on FP3 produced semen versus 66.66% and 16.66% respectively for those on FP1 and FP2. Semen volume and mass motility of cocks fed on FP3 or FP1 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than FP2. It was concluded that FP1 had more suitable dietary energy levels for growth and reproduction of local barred cocks.

Energy; Body Weight; Testes; Semen; Puberty; Local Barred Chicken

D’Alex Tadondjou, C. , Ngoula, F. , Ngoula, F. , Fuelefack Defang, H. , Kuietche Mube, H. and Teguia, A. (2013) Effect of dietary energy level on body weight, testicular development and semen quality of local barred chicken of the western highlands of Cameroon. Advances in Reproductive Sciences, 1, 38-43. doi: 10.4236/arsci.2013.13006.