Egg production performance of 571 local Ghanaian chickens and 107 SASSO T44 chickens kept under improved management conditions were analysed. Average egg weight, hen-day egg production and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined for the three experimental chicken ecotypes. Hen-day production was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the savannah local chicken ecotype than the forest ecotype and SASSO T44 chickens. Egg weights of local Ghanaian chickens compared favourably with values reported for local chickens in Africa. On the average, SASSO T44 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher egg weights and feed intake compared with the local chicken ecotypes. The local chicken ecotypes on the other hand, had significantly (P < 0.05) better feed conversion ratios than SASSO T44 chicken. Local Ghanaian chicken ecotypes have a more efficient FCR per every unit of egg produced compared with the control population. Low feed intake, good feed conversion ratios and adaptation to the environment are traits local chicken harbour which can be exploited in future breeding programmes to improve on chicken meat and egg production in Ghana. Ghanaian local chickens could thus be a valuable genetic resource for the development of an efficient egg production chicken breed adaptable to the humid tropical climates.

Characterization of indigenous animal genetic resources is a first step in providing much needed information for the conservation and utilization of useful genotypes for future needs. The study was undertaken to estimate heritability of traits of economic importance in local chicken populations from the forest and savannah zones of Ghana. A restricted maximum likelihood animal model was applied to growth data of local chickens from hatch to 40 weeks to estimate heritability, phenotypic and genotypic correlations of body weight and shank length. Heritability, phenotypic and genotypic correlations were also calculated for egg number and egg weight. High genetic and phenotypic correlations were obtained between body weight and shank length. Average heritability estimates were 0.54, 0.42, 0.30 and 0.47 for body weight, shank length, egg number and egg weight, respectively. These moderate-to-high heritability estimates indicate that these traits could be targeted in genetic improvement programmes for local chickens.