Abstract
The study was conducted at Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria district to characterize Aseel
chicken in Bangladesh. An in-depth survey was carried out from April 2012 to June 2012
in Brahmanbaria district. A total of 505 Aseel birds of different age groups were found
in 69 households of four upazilla viz., Sadar, Sarail, Nasirnagar and Ashuganj. Of
which, 352 birds were found in 37 households of Sarail upazilla with an average of
9.21±0.48 birds per household. All the Aseel chicken except breeding cockerels and
cocks were reared under semi-intensive system while the breeding cockerels and cocks
of Aseel were reared in intensive system. Some Aseel farmers used permanent wooden
house for Aseel cock. The feeding and health care practiced were almost similar to that
practiced for indigenous chicken. However, Aseel cock used for cock fighting received special feeds. No recording as well as scientific breeding were practiced. Records on
plumage colour, shank length and colour, comb shape and size, ear lobe colour and size,
body weights and egg production traits of 1066 chicks, 76 pullets, 111 cockerels, 50 hens
and 65 cocks were recorded from July 2012 to June 2014.Solid plumage colour was
observed in a few Aseel chickens whereas most of Aseel chickens had multiple plumage
colours. In male and female, different plumage colours were observed.. The dominant
plumage colour in the breast region was black (54%) in male and brown (56%) in female.
The dominant plumage colour in the wing region was red (73%) in cock and brown
(64%) in hen. All the Aseel chickens had pea comb, small and red colour ear lobe and
yellow colour shank. Egg shell colour was usually light brown. Different body
measurements such as average adult height at head and shank length were found as
67.14±0.72 cm and 14.68±0.39 cm in cock and 58.20±1.11 cm and 11.59±0.27 cm in hen,
respectively. The average weight of day old chick, weights at 60 and 90 days of Aseel
were found to be 31.43±0.06 g, 278.32±4.34 g and 528.99±10.53 g, respectively. There
were differences in weight for sex group at 180, 240 and 365 days and those were
1370.83±26.55 g and 1348.90±32.18 g, 2025.83±64.34 g and 1855.30±55.29 g and
2553.78±32.97 g and 2465.78±30.55 g for male and female, respectively. Positive
correlation was observed between weight of day old chick and weight at 180 day to
subsequent days. Reproductive performances of Aseel hen like the age and weight at 1st
egg were 255.06±5.52 d and 2247.17±45.01 g, while the average laying period, total egg
production, clutch size and pause within a clutch per hen were found to be 361.38±1.92
d, 46.81±1.08, 4.57±0.08 and 0.79±0.06, respectively. Egg weight ranged from 34 to 58 g
whereas average egg weight was estimated to be 47.86±0.08 g. The average egg shape
index, egg volume and egg surface area were calculated as 75.54±0.16%, 37.80±0.30 cm³
and 56.40±0.31 cm², respectively. Positive correlation was observed between age at 1st
egg and weight at 1st egg, between age at 1st egg and laying period, and age at 1st egg
and clutch period. This means, total egg production increased if the sexual maturity
decreases. The mtDNA genotyping was performed using D-loop sequence of
experimental Aseel chicken. A total of 5 haplo-groups (A, C, D, E and F) and 9
haplotypes were identified. Around 77.35% Aseel chickens had only E haplo-group
indicating that most of the Aseel had the same maternal origin. Aseel chicken had
homozygosity and progressive body weight of Aseel was quite high under existing
management system. Future improvement program of Aseel should be directed
improve growth rate and feed efficiency for efficient utilization and conservation.