ABSTRACT. The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate the growth performances and meat quality of three indigenous chickens phenotypes reared under extensive conditions in the region of Chlef in Algeria. A week after hatching, 3 random groups of 35 chicks from each phenotype; normal plumage free-range chicken (NPFRC), crested free-range chicken (CFRC) and naked neck free-range chicken (NNFRC) were chosen and reared in free-range conditions for 18 weeks. The highest growth performance was shown by the crested free-range chicken (CFRC). In terms of meat quality, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that crested phenotype (CFRC) showed the best nutritional qualities especially proteins and moisture. The discriminant analysis revealed that CFRC and NNFRC were better in terms of tenderness and overall acceptability. As consequence of these very interesting qualities, these local breeds should be considered for extensive production in order to provide a good quality meat, while assuring their preservation. ABSTRACT Algeria hatching freerange free range NPFRC, NPFRC , (NPFRC) (CFRC (NNFRC 1 weeks CFRC. . ANOVA (ANOVA moisture acceptability preservation (NPFRC

RESUMO. Raça comercial de aves tem assumido papel importante no mercado de produção de aves na Argélia que determinou uma redução na produção caipira, altamente dominante antes dos anos oitenta. Felizmente, as preferências dietéticas de consumidores, fortemente contribuiu para preservação da diversidade das raças locais. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o desempenho animal e qualidade de carne de 3 fenótipos de galinha locais versus galinha de linhagem comercial na mesma criação na região de Chlef na Argélia. Uma semana depois de chocar, 4 amostras foram escolhidas ao acaso de 30 pintinhos de cada fenótipo galinha comum de plumagem normal (NPFRC), criadas galinha comum coroada (CFRC), galinha comum de perna emplumada (FTFRC) e galinha de linhagem comercial (CBC) de 1ª a 8ª semana de idade. A três raças comuns (FTFRC, CFRC e NPFRC) tiveram o peso de corpo comparável, mas menor (p < 0.05) do que para a linhagem CBC. Em termos de qualidade de carne, a análise de componentes principais (PCA) e a análise de discrepância mostrou que as galinhas comuns eram mais interessantes que a galinha de linhagem comercial (muito gorda), especialmente o fenótipo coroado (CFRC), devido ao seu elevado teor em proteína (24.6%) e baixo conteúdo de gordura (1.20%).

ABSTRACT. Commercial breed has taken over the Algerian poultry production market which participated in the weakening of the village poultry farming, highly dominant prior to the 1980s. Fortunately, the dietary preferences of consumers, strongly participated in the preservation of the local animal breed diversity. In this context, the aim of this work was to study the growth performances and meat quality of 3 local chicken phenotypes versus commercial broiler chicken in the same breeding conditions in the region of Chlef in Algeria. A week after hatching, 4 randomly chosen samples of 30 chicks from each phenotype normal plumage free-range chicken (NPFRC), crested free-range chicken (CFRC), feathered tarsus free-range chicken (FTFRC) and commercial broiler chicken (CBC) were reared from the age of 1st until 8th week (slaughter age). The three local breed (FTFRC, CFRC and NPFRC) had the comparable body weight, but low (p < 0.05) to those of CBC. In terms of meat quality, the principal components analysis (PCA) and the analysis of variance showed that the free-range chickens were more interesting than the commercial broiler chicken very fat, especially the crested phenotype (CFRC), due to its very high protein 24.6% and very low fat content 1.20%.