Evaluation of head and neck characteristics in Leghorn, Marandi, and Leghorn–Marandi crossbred chickens

AbstractNative chickens in Iran play a crucial role in food security and rural livelihoods, yet their productivity is lower than that of commercial breeds. Crossbreeding with high-yielding lines has been proposed as a strategy to improve economic traits. This study aimed to evaluate head and neck characteristics in three genetic groups of Marandi, Leghorn, and their crossbreds. A total of ۵۰ hens and ۵۰ cocks from each group were assessed at maturity. Quantitative traits (head circumference, comb height and length, wattle length and width, beak length, and neck length) and qualitative traits (comb type, eye color, earlobe color, and beak color) were recorded. Data were analyzed using a general linear model with Tukey’s test for mean comparison. Results revealed diverse patterns of heterosis, with significant effects of both sex and trait type. Crossbreds showed increased neck and beak length, while comb and wattle size decreased in hens but increased in cocks. Qualitative traits displayed sex-dependent dominance patterns, particularly for eye and earlobe color. These findings highlight the potential of phenotypic traits as indirect indicators of health, physiology, and productivity, providing valuable insights for breeding and management programs aimed at improving native chicken performance.

کلیدواژه ها:

native chickens ، Commercial chickens ، crossbreeding ، Phenotypic traits ، Head and neck morphology