Comparative analysis of early growth phase performance in F3 crossbred Indonesian chickens

Body mass and ratio of feed conversion (FCR) are crucial factors for assessing production potential in local chickens. This study utilized a total of 116 F3 crossbred chickens resulting from the mating of Indonesian local chicken breeds, including Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan, Murung Panggang, Merawang Bangka, and Merawang Sembawa. The chickens were divided into six crossbred groups: BS1 (n = 19), BS2 (n = 19), BS3 (n = 20), BS4 (n = 19), BS5 (n = 20), and BS6 (n = 19), all managed under uniform conditions. Measurements of body mass and feed consumption during the pre-starter phase were taken at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 using a digital scale. Data from this study were subjected to ANOVA analysis, followed by a Duncan multiple range test The findings showed notable variations in body mass and FCR among all BS chicken groups (P < 0.05). Notably, BS5 exhibited the highest performance in both body mass and FCR analyses, achieving 392.50 ± 42.76g at week 4, and an overall FCR of 2.01 ± 0.80. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.