ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to evaluate the phenotypic diversity between fighting cocks; roosters of the naturalized ecotypes Graúna Dourada, Brejeira, Teresina, and Nordestina; roosters of the Sertaneja genetic (synthetic) group; and family-farmed roosters via descriptive and multivariate analyses. The qualitative traits evaluated by descriptive analysis indicated a prevalence of single comb in the Graúna Dourada, Teresina, Nordestina, and Sertaneja ecotypes, whereas the Brejeira ecotype, fighting cocks, and family-farmed roosters have a pea-type comb, which can be viewed as a sign of introgression of the fighting cock in flocks of the region. Dark plumage prevailed across the groups. The quantitative traits subjected to multivariate analysis by clustering criteria placed the four ecotypes and the synthetic type in a single group, the family-farmed animals were allocated to another group, and, lastly, the fighting cocks were placed in a third group. These results were similar to those generated by principal component analysis, which indicated body length, wingspan, and body weight as the traits of greatest variability to discriminate the different groups. It is important to stress the risk of genetic erosion to which naturalized chicken populations are exposed as a consequence of the introgression of fighting cocks in naturalized-chicken rearing facilities.

Quatrocentas aves com peso médio de 675,00 g foram distribuídas em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com base no peso das aves, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. As dietas experimentais foram constituídas de cinco níveis de energia metabolizável (2.800, 2.900, 3.000, 3.100 e 3.200 kcal de EM/kg de ração) formuladas para atender às exigências nutricionais, exceto de energia metabolizável. O aumento do nível de energia das rações foi obtido pela adição de óleo de soja. Realizaram-se análises de variância e de regressão, associando-se os níveis de energia aos valores das variáveis estudadas. As aves foram avaliadas quanto ao desempenho (consumo de ração, ganho de peso e conversão alimentar) e às características de carcaça nos períodos de 22 a 35 dias, 36 a 42 dias, 43 aos 49 dias e de 22 a 49 dias de idade. O ganho de peso e a conversão alimentar de frangos de corte da linhagem Hubbard mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura não são influenciados pelos níveis de energia metabolizável da ração. Os níveis de energia da dieta não afetam os rendimentos de carcaça, coxa, sobrecoxa, asa, tulipa, moela coração fígado, proventrículo e intestino. Entretanto, a gordura abdominal aumenta e o rendimento de peito decresce proporcionalmente à elevação da energia da dieta em ambiente de altas temperaturas.

Four hundred birds Hubbard linage with average weight of 675g were distributed to completely randomized block design, based in birds he weight, with five treatments and four replications. The experimental diets were constituted of five metabolizable energy levels (2,800, 2,900, 3,000, 3,100 and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg ration) formulated to attend the nutritional requirements, except for metabolizable energy. The increase of energy was obtained by the addition of soybean oil. The variance and regression analysis was made, associating the energy levels with the values of the studied characteristics. The birds were evaluated by performance (feed intake, weight gain and feed: gain ratio) and carcass characteristics in the periods from 22 to 35 days, 36 to 42 days, 43 to 49 days and 22 to 49 days of age, respectively. Weight gain and feed:gain ratio of broilers maintained in high temperature environment were not influenced by metabolizable energy levels of diets. Metabolizable energylevels of the diet did not affect: carcass, thigh, over thigh, wing, tulip, gizzard, heart, liver and proventricle and intestine. However, the abdominal fat increases and breast yield proportionally decrease with the increase of the metabolizable energy levels of the diet in high temperature environment conditions.