*2.1.1 Post-graduate studies on improving chickens at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN)*

The growth traits and estimates of heritability have been studied by Agbo, Ogbu [15], Ohagenyi et al. [16], Ndofor-Foleng et al. [11], Momoh and Nwosu [17], Ebangi and Ibe [18], Nwosu et al. [19] at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. The egg traits of the heavy and light ecotypes of the Nigerian local chickens were also estimated for their egg-laying traits


### **Table 1.**

*Heritability estimates of traits at University of Nigeria Nsukka.*

by Agu et al. [8] and Oleforuh-Okoleh [20]. The population of the heavy ecotype local chicken has undergone six generations of selection by Ogbu [15] and Agbo. The studies by Asuquo [21] and Omeje [22] evaluated the growth traits of crossbred chickens. **Table 1** below presents the results of some postgraduate studies at UNN.

Heritability estimates varied and ranged from low to high. The studies indicated that the chickens varied significantly in all traits, an indication that mass selection was the best option for improving the Nigerian chickens. Positive genetic response obtained from six generations of mass selection conducted by Ogbu [15] and Agbo attested to this fact. Ohagenyi reported that 25 SNPs and diversity at the ghrelin (GHRL) locus of four Nigerian indigenous chicken populations.

### *2.1.2 Undergraduate research on chickens' at University of Nigeria Nsukka*

**Table 2** presents a summary of studies conducted by postgraduate and undergraduates students at UNN from 1980 to 2005 academic session. Various studies evaluating the performance of the Nigerian LC show that the LC although recorded low performance in growth rate, egg number, and egg size than the exotic chicken and their crosses had similar performance with exotic chicken in feed efficiency. The LC also laid its first egg earlier that the exotic.

Nine out of 19 studies on chickens from 1980 to 1985 academic sessions were on local chickens. Two were postgraduate studies, while 17 were undergraduate studies. During 1986–1990 academic sessions, 15 studies were carried out on chickens, 5 out of


### **Table 2.**

*Students research on chickens' at University of Nigeria Nsukka from 1980 to 2005 academic years.*

which were on local chickens. During 1991–1995 academic sessions, 5 out of 19 studies on chickens were on local chickens. During 1996 to 2000 academic sessions, four studies were on chicken, while three are on LC. During 2001 to 2005 academic sessions, 20 studies were conducted on exotic chicken. Sixteen studies were on LC. Nine were postgraduate studies, while seven were undergraduate studies.

During the entire period of 25 years (1980–2005) of academic studies at the Animal Science Department of University of Nigeria, a total of 343 studies were carried out by both postgraduate and undergraduate students. A total of 122 out of the studies were on various types of chicken, and only 31 studies representing less than 10% of the entire study in the department was devoted to the local chickens. The result of this study agrees with [11] who blamed low productivity of the local poultry resources on the neglect of the local chickens by animal research scientists in preference for exotic breeds were on LC.
