Introduction

Native or local chicken are names of birds that were originated in an area and adapted to its environment. This definition can be applied to the Baladi chickens of Saudi Arabia. These birds are characterized by their small size, different plumage colors and different comb shape. These birds are also known for their low production rate and small egg sizes. These characteristics have been developed through natural selection, which made them well adapted to the often harsh environmental conditions. Their valuable genetic materials need to be maintained and improved, and special efforts have to be made to conserve them. Some attempts have been made by researchers in King Saud University to study some of the biological characteristic of these birds.   Poultry meat has been gaining acceptance over the past few years around the world especially in developed countries, mainly because of its low-fat content. Increased   interest to enhance the nutritional quality of meat has stimulated research on fatty acid composition. The content and composition of intramuscular fat are important for human nutrition and health (Francisco Peña et al., 2011). Pituitary transcription factor (Pit-1) has been shown to be a positive regulatory factor of growth hormone, thyrotrophin β – subunit (TSH- β)  ( Abbas  Doosti et al., 2011). Antibiotic growth promoters have been helpful in improvement of growth performance and feed conversion ratio in poultry. Many studies have been carried out on using additives, including herbs, as alternatives to antibiotics, with direct or indirect effects on intestinal microflora of poultry products (Babak Darabighane, et al., 2011).   Attia et al. 1991 reported the effect of rearing regimen and age of the bird on egg weight and weight of the component parts of Saudi  Baladi chicken eggs. Alsobayel , 1992 investigated the effect of protein rearing diet and age on fertility and hatchability parameters of Saudi Arabian  native chicken.  Study by A.M. King’ori 2011, included the effect of storage time, egg weight and moisture loss on hatchability parameters of Baladi chicken egg.  .In this study,  investigation was conducted to some local poultry projects as well as  characteristics of the local (baladi) chickens of Saudi Arabia.   This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of some Baladi chickens in some regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to Pinpoint Saudi local chicken strains which will help to classify them according to their characteristics and finally future replacement of antibiotics  for the treatment of  poultry disease with herbal  medicine.

Materials and Methods

A survey was conducted to collect the necessary information on the availability, importance phenotypic characteristics and management systems of local strains of chickens in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Regions visited were Qasim, Madina, Makkah,,  Dammam and Jedda. The present study assessed also the antimicrobial. Activity efficacy of 10 gram of cloves (S. aromaticum)  boiled in 1000mL of distilled water in some chickens showing fever and discharge from nostril.

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Results and Discussion 

Table 1, shows investigated locations and number of some existing Local (Baladi) projects in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Average flock size in this type of chicken farms was 3479±1138 (ranged from 1040 to 18000). Number of female layers and males were 1522±344 and 177±121. The cock: hen ratio average was 1:8.  Chickens exhibit a large variation in body shape and average mature body weight is 1.26±0.23 kg .  Many diseases have become difficult to treat due to the introduction of a new class antibiotic that is efficacious and safe which leads to widespread use and thus development of resistance. Alternative herbal medication by the use of clove steam against microbial infection was successful. The effect of co-administration of S. aromaticum twice a day, the chickens were found nullified as the parameters registered a tendency to retrieve towards near normalcy. These results substantiate the use of moderate quantity of steam from S.aromaticum in boiled water as offering protection for chickens against microbial infection. But these results need to be confirmed using available highly sophisticated technique.  Most of the large Baladi chicken projects were found in the Western province (Makkah, Jedda and Madina). Medium size projects (about 250- 600 hen) were found in different locations (Qasim, Madina, Makkah). Small farms (< 250 hen) had also been found in Makkah, Qasim. Results of the large Baladi chickens projects (Western province) survey: About 30% of the owners of large Baladi projects were poultry producers, raising chickens as the main source of their income. Seventy percent of owners considered raising chickens as a secondary economical activity (9% were farmers, 60% were governmental employee and 31% were merchants). All of them used hired labor for raising the birds. Most of the projects were raising chickens along with other animals and others produced fruits and vegetables as another agricultural activity in the farm.  Average flock size in this type of chicken farms was 3479±1138 (ranged from 1040 to 18000). Number of female layers and males were 1522±344 and 177±121, respectively. These numbers ranged from 50 to 400 and 400 to 4000 for males and females, respectively.  Cock:- hen ratio average was 1:8. Local chickens exhibit a large variation in body shape and feather colors. They have various combinations of plumage colors, comb types and body size. Local birds are generally small in size. They were classified according to their body shape to different types. The average mature body weight is 1.26±0.23 kg for female   and 1.8±0.26 kg for males.  Local chickens exhibit a large variation in body shape. They have various combinations of comb types and body size. They were classified according to their body shape to different types.  Average mature body weight is 1.26±0.23 kg for females and 1.8±0.26 kg for males. White (19%), red (21%), brown 22%, black 20% and gray 18% are the possible plumage of chickens color available in the western province of   the kingdom ( Jeddah and Makah). The chickens with single type comb were (74%) or double (26%). The shank colors were also varied, gray (33%), yellow 33% and white (34%). Average marketing age of the birds was 14.6±1.5 weeks ranging from (6 to 24.)  Males and females of the Saudi local birds were sold at the price of 14.45±1.7 and 28.8±2.5 SR, respectively. Average price of 30 fertilized egg was higher than that of table eggs being 16.5±1 and 13.5±0.6, respectively. Hens laid their 1st egg at 22.76±1.55 wks and continued lying for 78.9±9.2 wks producing 170±29 egg. Price of 1 day old chick ranged from 1 to 3.5 SR (averaged 2.4 SR). All projects had their own hatcheries to obtain their requirements of chicks. Hatching was almost monthly throughout the year. The average % of hatched eggs ranged from 65% to 90% with overall average of 75%. Due to the fact that baladi birds are exposed to extreme environmental conditions during the year, all chickens’ owners vaccinate their birds against Newcastle and 33% of them vaccinate against Fowl Pox. Other diseases such as Coccidia, Fowl Pox, eye disease, respiratory diseases and Coryza could also attack the birds. All owners of the large projects were raising Baladi chickens for their premium price and they believed that Saudi consumers favor the Baladi meat and eggs over the exotic ones. Most of the owners raised Baladi chicken for their high ability to adapt to the harsh environmental conditions of Saudi Arabia and  favoring these birds for their low cost of production. In Contrast to chicken houses is the environmentally controlled type of building required for raising exotic breeds. Only 12% of the owners believe that Baladi chickens were resistant to disease over the exotic ones. Owners depended mainly on purchasing feed (88%) for their birds, while 12% used agricultural by-products from their own farms. Concentrate mixture, barley, rice, wheat barn and alfalfa are the types of feeds they used for feeding their flocks.   Amylases are used for the pre-treatment of animal feed to improve digestibility, in pharmaceuticals and for sewage treatment (Kalaiarasi K.et al., 2011). An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance and carcass yield of Arian male broilers fed diets (starter and grower) with different levels of lysine requirements, high lysine (120% National Research Council, NRC), medium lysine (110% NRC), standard (100% NRC) and low lysine (90% NRC) in a completely randomized experimental design. All diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. In broilers receiving 120% of NRC Lysine, body weight in 42 d significantly increased by 248 g compared with standard lysine diet (Javad Nasr, et al., 2011).   Total white blood cell counts were tried from control, health and sick chickens.  The mean maximum values of  lymphocyte counts were determined. This was done to account for the wide range of values in the infected groups, some of which were within the normal range. Also, this would take into consideration the small number of high counts associated with the control groups. Control group mean values of 35,025 and 40,975 cells per mm3 for the lymphocyte counts were not significantly different (ranges of 25,000 to 60,000 for white blood cell counts; Table 2. Corresponding values for infected chickens equaled and exceeded control values.  Small farm owners favored raising Baladi chickens for their good taste of meat, eggs high sale price and their ability to resist disease and suits the prevailing conditions of Saudi Arabia. Average sale price of single mature female and male is 30±13.65 and 43.35±12.99 SR respectively. While the disadvantages of Baladi chicken are being noisy poor meat and egg performance. According to the information of the owner, mortality is rather low with an average of 7% and most of the birds’ mortality (58%) occurred during the first week of life.  Only 21% of the birds mortality in this study occurred during the rearing stage while 13% of it occurred during the production stage. Mortality of the chickens was generally associated with atmospheric temperature. This indeed supports the fact that local birds of Saudi Arabia have more tolerant to high environmental conditions.   Babak Darabighane et al., 2011 studied the effects of different levels of Aloe vera gel as an alternative to antibiotic on performance and ileum morphology in broilers. Scientists found that clove bud oil as well as essential oils of cinnamon and allspice may help protect against food poisoning. After adding clove oil to an edible apple puree, the scientists observed that clove bud oil helped suppress the growth of listeria (a type of bacteria known to cause food borne illness). Hsing-Wen Hsu1 et al., 2011 have reported an Anti-enterovirus 71 activity screening of Taiwanese folk medicinal plants and immune modulation of Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv against viral infection . Farmer  don’t vaccinate their birds against diseases. In case they do, they vaccinate  against Newcastle. The most frequent diseases that could attack the birds during their life time in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia were as follows: Newcastle (33%), eye diseases (27%), Fowl Pox (18%), respiratory diseases (18%) and Coccidia (16%). Ibrahim A. Arif et al., 2011 studied DNA marker technology for the conservation of  wild life  indeed this technology can also be used in poultry disease screening program.  Birds are generally small in size and found to have poor performance in-terms of growth and egg production. Feeding programs have primarily emphasized live performance of meat birds taking into account effects on live weight or gain, feed conversion, and some times livability. Effects of the partial substitution of fish meal by soy bean meal with or without mannanoligosaccharide and fructooligosaccharide on the growth has been studied by (Giovanni Piccolo et al., 2011). Hens in this study started laying eggs at 20±4 week of age and had a laying period of 92±5 weeks. Their poor egg producing capacity was mainly due to the prevalent characteristic of broodiness among the females. Percentage fertility and hatchability were higher during spring and lower during summer. Breeders did not prefer cold or hot seasons for hatching (10% in winter and 15% in summer). The cock-hen ratio average was 1:8. Selection of sires was mainly based on the cock’s phenotype particularly color plumage and comb type. Fifty percent of the chickens’ owners preferred black plumage for both males and females, while forty three percent of them preferred birds with red and brown plumage. Only, seven percent preferred white birds. Almost all owners (43%) liked birds with double comb, black shank (40%) and grayish (27%)   over whitish ones. Table 3 shows the phenotypic characteristics of Baladi chickens in the Eastern Province. Based upon the results of the surveys and the trail of antimicrobial activity application in medical poultry technology it is concluded that baladi (local chickens of Saudi Arabia exhibit large variations, in many aspects, among the different locations. This information can be of important assets to any future research. The considerable   improvements observed in the healthy  performance of sick hens  on  treatment with Clover steam is significant and is an area of an treatment substitution with herbal treatment   for further research. antibiotic

Table 1: Locations and number of Some Baladi projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Table 2: Types of supplemented feeds purchased by small farm owners

Table 3: Phenotypic characteristics of Baladi chickens in the Eastern Province

Table 4: White blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts of control and sick chickens

References  

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