Background:

The implementation of productive strategies using semi-captivity hens under more familiar conditions to the natural behavior of the species requires adapted phenotypes. These populations require dual-purpose animals, which can produce meat and eggs as part of the current industrial aviculture.

Aim.

To evaluate the dynamic growth patterns and egg weight, compared to the commercial heavy breeders.

Materials and methods:

The body weight was checked weekly, between birth and 60 weeks, and the eggs were weighed between sexual maturity and the end of the cycle, in 100 Campero Casilda hens. The body weight data versus chronological age were adjusted according to the Gompertz model, and the egg’s weekly weight versus egg age, according to the Weatherup & Foster model. The same adjustment was done to the data collected from the managing guides corresponding to heavy breeding hens Ross308® and Cobb500®. The average values of parameter estimators with a biological significance for the Gompertz and Weatherup & Foster for the Campero Casilda were compared to the reference values corresponding to the commercial breeders, using Student T for a single population sample.

Results:

Campero Casilda showed the best asymptotic body weight and lowest rate of maturation than the two reference genotypes. The asymptotic weight and egg maturation rates did not differ significantly from Ross308®, and were higher than Cobb500®.

Conclusions:

Campero Casilda showed a favorable combination of both dynamic patterns -body weight and egg weight. It is a choice of dual-purpose genotype for alternative poultry systems.