L.A. Ibom, B. Okon, B.I. Adinya and F.I. Okon. Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria 2

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1 World Journl of Zoology 7 (2): , 2012 ISSN IDOSI Pulictions, 2012 DOI: /idosi.wjz Reproductive Performnce nd Correltions Among Egg Trits of Two Ectotypes of Adult Snil (Archchtin mrgint Vr. Sturlis) in e Humid Tropics L.A. Iom, B. Okon, B.I. Adiny nd F.I. Okon 1 Deprtment of Animl Science, University of Clr, Clr, Nigeri 2 Deprtment of Agriculturl Economics/Extension, Cross River University of Technology, Our Cmpus, Nigeri 3 Deprtment of Environmentl Hel, College of Hel Technology, Clr, Nigeri Astrct: Eighty (80) dult or sexully mture lnd snils, A. mrgint vr. sturlis (P.), forty ech of e lck-skinned (BS) nd white-skinned (WS) ectotypes wi weight rnging from g nd g for e BS nd WS ectotypes respectively were rered in pirs (two snils) for twelve weeks to evlute reproductive performnce. Correltions etween e trits of produced eggs were lso estimted. Assessed reproductive trits included clutch size, men egg weight t ly nd weekly, men egg leng nd wid t ly nd weekly, incution period (dys), numer of htched eggs, percent htchility nd htchlings weights t htch. Results of reproductive performnce showed t considerle reproductive differences exist etween snil ectotypes of prticulr reed. This is ecuse significntly different (P<0.05) vritions existed etween e numer of eggs lid y e BS ectotypes nd ose lid y e WS ectotypes. The BS ectotypes were ctully more prolific (lid more eggs) n e WS ectotypes. Results of correltions etween trits estimted on eggs from e mting of e respective ectotypes (BS X BS nd WS X WS) reveled t ll trits correlted positively nd significntly (P<0.05) in o ectotypes. The egg leng (EL) nd egg wid (EH) hd perfect positive reltionship (r = 1.00) in e BS X BS mting group. The pirs of egg weight (EW) nd egg leng (EL) nd egg weight (EW) nd egg wid (EH) were mildly correlted (r = 0.49) in e sme mting group. Egg wid (EH) nd egg leng (EL) were closely correlted (r = 0.89) in e WS X WS mting group, while egg weight (EW) nd egg leng (EL) nd egg weight (EW) nd egg wid (EH) were modertely correlted (r = 0.59 nd r = 0.70) respectively in e sme mting group. Key words: Ectotypes Correltions Snil Egg Trits Reproductive Performnce INTRODUCTION production. This is ecuse ough hermphrodites, snils prctice sexul reproduction. This ct enles Snils hve consistently contriuted to e diet of snils of e sme species to mte wi one noer, our ncestors, especilly ose living in e humid tropicl fertilizing ech oer simultneously efore lying eggs rinforest. The snils consumed y our ncestors were [2-7]. It mens t cross-fertiliztion is e rule wi e gered from e wild y villgers [1]. There hs een ct. Coinh [3] nd [4 nd 6] noted t e possiility incresing interest nd wreness in snils (especilly of self-fertiliztion in some snil species like Achtin Archchtin mrgint, A. degneri, Achtin chtin, chtin nd A. fulic cnnot e solutely ruled out. A. fulic, Thpsi species nd Limicolri species) Mting in snils occurs only when sexul mturity is domestiction/production in recent yers. This could e ttined nd is is usully fter severl hours of s result of e decline of snil popultion in e wild, courtship [2]. High degree of vritions hd een reported coupled wi e lrm rised y e Food nd Agriculture y severl workers for ge t sexul mturity. For Orgniztion on e niml protein intke deficit sttus of instnce, [6, 8] reported 5-6 mons nd 7-12 mons Nigerins in e erly 1980s [2]. Snils hve high respectively s ges t sexul mturity for lck-skinned reproductive potentil (i.e. high fecundity nd prolificcy). snils (A. mrgint). Omole et l. [9] reported 8-12 The reproductive performnce of snils is very mons s ge t sexul mturity for e sme strin of importnt feture t determines e efficiency of snils. Iom [2] reported 6.32 mons nd 7.02 mons s Corresponding Auor: L.A. Iom, Deprtment of Animl Science, Eonyi Stte University, Akliki, Nigeri. Tel:

2 ges t sexul mturity for white-skinned nd MATERIALS AND METHODS lck-skinned strins respectively of e sme snil reed (A. mrgint). It could erefore e inferred t ge t This study ws conducted t e Snilery Unit, sexul mturity in snils is reed or strin specific, Deprtment of Animl Science Teching nd Reserch following e vriility in eir genetic resource pool. Frm, Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH.), Omole nd Kehinde [7] reported t snils re sometimes Our Cmpus, Nigeri. The loction, temperture nd uninterested in mting wi oer snils of e sme men nnul rinfll of Our hd een previously species t originted from considerle distnce wy. descried y [2, 12, 16]. These uors lso descried e On e oer hnd, [6, 8] reported t mting, egg lying micro-environment of e study re. nd ctive grow generlly occur during e riny Eighty dult or sexully mture lnd snils seson from Ferury/Mrch to Octoer/Novemer in [A. mrgint vr. sturlis (Philippi)], forty ech of e e wild. In e contrst, [2, 7, 10] reported t mting, lck-skinned (BS) nd white-skinned (WS) ectotypes egg lying nd ctive grow occur ll yer round wi weight rnging from g nd g (dry nd riny sesons) under proper mngement in for e BS nd WS ectotypes respectively were used for confinement. is study. The snils were llowed stiliztion period When e tmosphere is conducive, two ctive, of four weeks. During is time, it is elieved t eggs sexully-mture snils come togeer for courtship from mting t occurred in e wild would hve een ceremony t culmintes in copultion [2, 4, 6, 8]. The shed efore e commencement of e study. The snils frequency of mting is species- nd weer- dependent were grouped into two tretments on e sis of skin [8]. Clutch sizes resulting from such mting re ffected (foot) colour, nmely; BS x BS nd WS x WS. Ech y genetic composition nd us vry mong reeds tretment ws replicted twenty times in e completely nd/or strins. Adegju [11] nd [7, 12-14] reported t rndomized design (CRD). Snils were mrked nd rered clutch or cluster or tch of eggs contins 8-16 eggs, in pirs (two snils) of similr weights to hutch 4-18 eggs, 1-16 eggs, 4-6 eggs nd 4-8 eggs for e lck- comprtment mesuring 40 sq. cm y 30 cm dept for skinned strins of A. mrgint. Wheres, [2] reported purposes of reproduction. The pir ws llowed togeer 2-13 eggs nd 1-9 eggs s clutch sizes for lck-skinned in one hutch comprtment (cell) for one week nd en nd white-skinned strins of A. mrgint respectively. seprted for noer one week efore eing returned in Okon et l. [15] reported 4-6 eggs nd 3-5 eggs t cycle until ey lid eggs. respectively s clutch sizes for e sme strins of The snils were fed n verge of 10 g of formulted A. mrgint. Iom nd Okon [16] reported 2-4 eggs nd diet nd some quntity of pwpw leves per hed, 1-3 eggs respectively s clutch sizes for e sme strins, once dily t 5-7 pm rough out e twelve weeks e while [17] reported 2-14 eggs s clutch size for lino present study lsted. The formulted diet contined (white-skinned) strin of e sme reed. Akinnusi [6] 24 % crude protein (CP) nd 2650 Kcl/Kg ME. It ws nd [2] noted t snil eggs re deposited in shllow formulted using mize (41.6 %), soyen mel (1-2 cm) urrows in e ground, in moist or cool res to (30.3 %), fish mel (7.6 %), one mel (2.0 %), whet offl prevent desicction. The snil covers e hole in which (10.0 %), oyster shell (8.0 %) nd vitmin/minerl premix eggs re lid wi mixture of soil nd slime it secrets nd (0.5 %). leves e eggs wi no furer mternl cre [4, 6]. Ejidike The ssessed reproductive performnce trits [18] nd [2] stted t it tkes 24 hours for e snil to ly included clutch size counted s numer of lid eggs, clutch or cluster of eggs. Omole nd Kehinde [7] nd men egg weight t ly nd weekly mesured using [12] reported shorter durtion (1-2 minutes) for snil to TM Scout Pro electronic scle hving sensitivity of deposit clutch of eggs, unlike poultry t lys t lest 0.01 g, men egg leng nd wid t ly nd weekly two eggs in ree dys. mesured using Vernier cliper, incution period in In view of e reported vrile ges t sexul dys (counted s numer of dys eggs took to htch mturity nd clutch sizes resulting from mting snils, from e dy of ly), numer of htched eggs e present study ssessed e reproductive performnce counted s emerged htchlings (juveniles), percent of e Archchtin mrgint vr. sturlis. The htchility ws clculted. Htchlings weights t htch correltions etween trits of eggs lid y is micro- were lso tken. Correltions etween e egg trits were livestock were lso estimted. estimted. 114

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The results of reproductive performnce otined in is study re presented on Tle 1. The results showed t e lck-skinned snils lid 2-6 clutches per cell to give totl of 38 clutches. On e oer hnd, e whiteskinned snils lid 1-7 clutches per cell to give totl of 33 clutches. These results showed t e lck-skinned snils lid more eggs nd were erefore more prolific n e white-skinned (lino) snils. Iom [2] reported t e prolificcy might e due to inherent genetic potentils of e lck-skinned snils. The clutch sizes rnged from 2 to 13 eggs per snil for lck-skinned strins nd 1 to 9 eggs per snil for white-skinned strins. It ws oserved t some of e egg clutches were lid on e soil surfce (Plte 1), contrsting e position of Iom [2] nd Akinnusi [6] who reported t snils deposit clusters or clumps of eggs in shllow (1-2 cm) urrows in e ground. Tle 2 shows t e lck-skinned snils lid totl of 289 eggs from 38 clutches, while e white-skinned snils lid fewer clutches nd numer of eggs, 33 nd 174 respectively. This gives n verge clutch size of 1.90 per cell nd 0.95 eggs per lck-skinned snil. On e oer hnd, e white-skinned snils lid 33 egg clutches, giving n verge clutch size of 1.60 per cell nd 0.80 eggs per lino snil. These oserved vritions differed (P<0.05) significntly (Tles 1). It cn erefore e inferred t considerle reproductive differences exist etween snil strins of prticulr reed. The clutch size otined in e current study is in greement wi previous reports [5, 6, 19, 20]. Tle 1: Reproductive performnce of dult snils mting groups Prmeter BS X BS WS X WS SEM Totl numer of clutches Av. numer of clutches/cell Av. numer of clutches/snil Totl numer of lid eggs Av. numer of eggs/clutch Av. numer of eggs/snil Av. egg weight t ly (g) Av. egg leng t ly (mm) Av. egg wid t ly (mm) Av. incution period (dys) Av. egg shell ickness (mm) Htchility (%) Survivility (%) Mens wiin e sme row wi different superscripts re significntly (P<0.05) different SEM = Stndrd Error of Men BS = Blck-Skinned ectotype, WS = White-Skinned ectotype Plte 1: White-skinned (lino) dult snil depositing eggs on e surfce (pwpw leves) Tle 2: Egg production pttern, men clutch sizes (±S.E.), Stndrd Devition nd Coefficient of Vriility (%) of dult snils mting groups BS X BS WS X WS Clutch size Clutch size Cell numer Totl eggs Totl eggs Totl ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± ± NS NS NS NS SD CV% BS = Blck-Skinned ectotype, WS = White-Skinned ectotype, SD = Stndrd Devition, CV = Coefficient of Vrition Mens long e sme row ering different superscript re significntly different (P<0.05), NS = Non-significnt 115

4 Tle 3: Correltions mong trits of eggs from e dult snils mting groups BS X BS EW EL EH EW EL EH EW EL EH WS X WS BS = Blck-Skinned ectotype, WS = White-Skinned ectotype, EW = Egg Weight, EL = Egg Leng, EH = Egg Wid The correltion estimtes of egg trits otined from e mting of e dult snils (BS X BS nd WS X WS) re presented in Tle 3. The results showed t ll evluted eggs trits of e two studied strins hd positive nd significnt (P<0.05) correltions. The egg leng (EL) nd egg wid (EH) hd perfect positive reltionship (r = 1.00) in e BS X BS mting group. The pirs of egg weight (EW) nd egg leng (EL) nd egg weight (EW) nd egg wid (EH) were mildly correlted (r = 0.49) in e sme mting group (Tle 3). Egg wid (EH) nd egg leng (EL) were closely correlted (r = 0.89) in e WS X WS mting group, while egg weight (EW) nd egg leng (EL) nd egg weight (EW) nd egg wid (EH) were modertely correlted (r = 0.59 nd r = 0.70) respectively in e sme mting group. The vlues reported here re in greement wi e vlues reported previously [2, 21] for lck-skinned ectotype of A. mrgint nd white-skinned ectotype of e sme snil reed respectively. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The two mting groups (BS X BS nd WS X WS) expressed considerle vritions in egg production ility. Perhps e BS ectotype is geneticlly nd inherently endowed for higher egg production. Therefore, it is recommended t intending snil frmers ptronize e BS ectotypes ecuse of eir prolificcy. REFERENCES 1. Okon, B. nd L.A. Iom, Commerciliztion of Snil production in Nigeri: Potentils, Viilities nd Chllenges. J. Appl. Sci. (JAS)., 13: Iom, L.A., Vritions in Reproductive nd Grow Performnce trits of white- skinned x lck-skinned Africn gint snil htchlings [Archchtin mrgint (Swinson)] in Our, Nigeri. Ph.D. Thesis, Deprtment of Animl Science, University of Clr, Clr, Nigeri. 3. Coinh, J.R., Snil Frming in West Afric. A Prcticl Guide. U. K. Syee Pulishing. CTA Puliction. 4. Amusn, J.A. nd M.O. Omidiji, Edile Lnd Snil. A Technicl Guide to Snil Frming in e Tropics. Idn. Vriety Printers Limited. 5. Pyne, W.J.A. nd R.T. Wilson, An Introduction to Animl Husndry in e Tropics. 5 ed. Osney Med, UK. Blckwell Pulishing Compny, pp: Akinnusi, O., Introduction to Snils nd Snil nd Frming. 2 ed. Aeokut, Nigeri. Triols Exquisite Ventures. 7. Omole, A.J. nd A.S. Kehinde, Bckyrd snil frming t glnce. Bck to Agriculturl series (1). Idn. Technovisor Agriculturl Pulictions. st 8. Akintomide, T.O., Tropicl Snil Frming. 1 ed. Aeokut, Nigeri. Ok Ventures. 9. Omole, A.J., A.A. Tiwo nd J.A. Amusn, Technicl Guide/Bulletin. Prcticl snil frming. Idn, Nigeri. Institute of Agriculturl Reserch nd Trining, Moor Plnttion. 10. Ogogo, A.U., The replcement of cssv flour wi groundnut cke in e nutrition of e Africn Snil (Archchtin mrgint) (Swinson). M. Sc. Thesis, Deprtment of Wildlife nd Fisheries. University of Idn, Idn. 11. Adegju, S.W., A Guide to Successful Poultry nd Snilery Business. Agrocre Series, pp: Iom, L.A., B. Okon nd A. Essien, Morphometric nlysis of eggs lid y two ectotypes of Snils Archchtin mrgint (Swinson) rised in cptivity. Glol J. Agric. Sci., 7: Okon, B., L.A. Iom nd E.E. Odido, Reproductive performnce nd Egg qulity trits of crossreeding etween lck nd white skinned Archchtin mrgint sturlis. Archivos de Zootecni, 60: Okon, B., L.A. Iom, M.E. Willims nd O.M. Etukudo, Effects of Prity on Breeding nd Morphometric Trits of Eggs nd Htchlings of F 1 Crossred of Snils (Archchtin mrgint vr. sturlis). J. Agric., Biotechnol. nd Ecol., 3:

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