Korean Journal of Agricultural Science ISSN:2466-2402(Print) 2466-2410(Online) 농업과학연구

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of mixed and separate gender feeding on the growth performance and carcass traits of Korean native chickens (KNC) compared to white semi-broilers (WSB) and a commercial broiler (CB) from hatching to 35 days. Here, 240 chicks were used with eight birds per cage in a randomized design with six replicates per breed. For the KNC lines, three groups of males (KNC-M), mixed-gender birds (KNC-FM) and females (KNC-F) were used. The two-phase feeding program used here consisted of a starter phase (days 1 - 21: crude protein [CP] 20% and metabolizable energy [ME], 3,050 kcal·kg-1) and a grower phase (days 22 - 35: CP 18%, 3,100 kcal·kg-1) for a commercial broiler. The WSB and CB were fed the only starter commercial diet. Fresh water and feed were provided ad-libitum. The results revealed that the KNC group had a lower (p < 0.05) body weight (BW) from day 7 and day 35 compared to that of the CB. Furthermore, the KNC group showed a lower (p > 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) relative to that of the CB during the entire experimental period. No difference (p > 0.05) was observed in the shank length among the treatments. There were also no significant differences in the growth performance or carcass traits between the KNC-M and WSB groups or in the genders of the KNC group.