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Genetic resources of local chicken in Georgia

Anatoli Giorgadze, Marine Barvenashvili

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Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 51 Ivane Javakhishvili str, Tbilisi, Georgia

The preservation of local poultry gene fund has both scientific and practical importance for Georgia. High genetic potential is important for breeders from national, state, scientific and economic points of view. It has been determined by scientists that modern poultry farming in the world is represented by a small genetic line of birds, which is why the breeds of agricultural birds are almost uniform in origin. According to the breeders, the mentioned fact will definitely lead to the disappearance of valuable and necessary alleles, which local birds are the protectors of. Further progress in poultry breeding is impossible without the use of genetic diversity. The breeding of new crosses necessarily requires extensive involvement in the selection of the “less economical” local bird gene pool. The intensification of the poultry industry, with the wide spread of imported highly productive hybrid birds, created a threat to the preservation of the gene pool of local birds, which almost created the danger of its degeneration and extermination for such breeds of chicken that have been widespread in Georgia since time immemorial, including the following local breeds: Chalisferi, Shavi, Megrula, Natsara, Keltitvela. These local breed chicken are characterized by valuable genetic traits. They are a source of rare marker genes, characterized by auto-sexuality, good adaptation to hot climates, the best quality of eggs and meat, less demand for nutrition and care, and high resistance to a number of diseases.

Key words: preservation, poultry, alleles, genotype, breeds, selection, productivity