Resumen de Productive response of two species of chickens (Mexican native and Sasso), in confinement and grazing white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Berenice Hernández Blancas, Fernando González Cerón, Arturo Pro Martínez, Sergio Ibán Mendoza Pedroza, Jaime Gallegos Sánchez

• Objective: To determine the productive behavior and forage consumption (Trifolium repens L.) of Mexican native and Sasso chickens, under two rearing systems (confinement or grazing). Design/Methodology/Approach: One-hundred twenty-eight chickens (64 Mexican native (MN) and 64 Sasso (S)) of 35 d of age were randomly distributed in two production systems to obtain four repetitions (eight chickens per repetition) of each of the following genotype × system combinations: Mexican native in grazing, Mexican native in confinement, Sasso in grazing, and Sasso in confinement. A completely randomized experimental design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement was used, with genotype and production system as its main factors. The following variables were evaluated: feed consumption, weight gain, and feed conversion. Additionally, forage consumption in grazing birds was determined. Results: The productive performance variables were not affected by the production system factors or by its interaction with the bird genotype. However, the genotype did influence the variables considered: the Sasso birds recorded better values (p ≤ 0.05) than Mexican native specimens. Regarding forage consumption, no differences were observed (p ≤ 0.05) between bird genotypes and, in both cases, the accumulated consumption at the 49 d of study was close to 60 g of DM. Study Limitations/Implications: It is necessary to carry out a socioeconomic study as well as a defoliation level analysis with the aim of improving the use of the resource. Findings/Conclusions: Mexican native birds had a lower productive performance with a similar forage consumption.