EVALUATION OF GENOTYPE BY ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION FOR PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE OF EXOTIC CHICKEN BREEDS AND HUSBANDRY PRACTICES OF THE COMMUNITIES IN GONDAR ZURIA AND BANJA DISTRICTS, AMHARA RE

The study was conducted in Gondar Zuria and Banja districts in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia with the aim of evaluating genotype by environment interaction on production performance of Koekoek, Kuroiler, Sasso, and Sasso-RIR chicken under smallholder production system. About 120 total households were selected for the survey work based on purposive and random sampling methods. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire and focus group discussion. These survey data were analysis using SPSS version 16 software package. Quantitative data were collected from the ACGG project. These data analysis using Generalized Linear Model of SAS 9.1 software package for G*E study. The result revealed that respondents keep chicken with a mean of 5.45±0.54 per household. About 46.7%, 33.3% and 20% of respondents were preferred crossbred, exotic and local chicken breeds. About 64.2% of the respondents were produce backyard production system. About 71.7% of respondents noted scavenging with supplement feeds and all the producers provided water for their chicken. Diseases and predators (0.36 ranking index) were the first major chicken production constraints. On-farm overall results at 16 weeks showed that female Sasso, Kuloiler, koekoek and Sasso recorded 909.34, 883.32, 853.34 and 698.57 mean body weight respectively. Overall daily body weight gain of Koekoek were recorded 10.51 gram per day during 12-16 weeks, but Sasso grew 4.52 gram per day at this age. The body weight of male Sasso and Koekoek breed in Gondar Zuria were significantly higher than in Banja district at 12 age of weeks. Overall daily body weight of Sasso were scored 9.58±2.30 gram per day during 16-20 weeks. In Gondar Zuria Sasso (4.64) scored the lowest, Koekoek (10.22) the highest, and Kuroiler (7.68) and S-RIR(7.18) the intermediate average daily body weight gain during 12-16 weeks growth age. From 46-50 weeks Koekoek (4.2 eggs) laid significantly higher and S-RIR (3.19 egg) the lower egg in Gondar Zuria. In Banja Koekoek (54.36) and Kuroiler (54.4) dropped eggs significantly heavier than Sasso (50.01) during 31-35 and lighter eggs during 46-50 weeks. Sasso RIR (30.59) in Banja and Koekoek (28.28) in Gondar Zuria were laid egg later than other breeds. Based on the above G*E study result it is possible xv to conclude that Koekoek and Sasso for Gondar Zuria district and Kuroiler and Sasso for Banija districts are recommended to be reared for egg production performances and Kuroiler and Sasso for both districts are recommended to be reared for growth performances because they have a better growth and egg production performances than other breed-location interactions under farmer management condition