Comparative Multivariate Analysis of Body Weight and Morphometric Traits in Three Strains of Broiler Chickens

This study evaluates the linear body measurements in three strains of broiler chickens; Arbor Acre, Cobb500 and Ross308. Data were collected on body weight and linear body measurements, including body length, chest girth, thigh length, shank length, wing length, and keel length and subjected to statistical analysis to identify the traits that could best describe and discriminate the broiler strains. Cobb 300 exhibited significantly (P<0.05) highest body weight (1934.50 g) compared to ArborAcre (1771.85 g) and Ross308 (1771.43 g). Body length and chest girth showed the highest correlations with body weight in Cobb 300 and Ross308 strains while body length is the most significant predictor of body weight for the three strains of broilers. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed that body length and shank circumference were critical for differentiating the three strains. The study highlights the importance of selecting for body size-related traits to improve growth performance in broiler chickens.