Osservazioni preliminari sulla ibridazione tra le specie Gallus gallus e Phasianus colchicus mongolicus.

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the productive validity of the mating between the species Gallus gallus and Phasianus colchicus. A total of 22 breeders were used, from which 3 were middle-heavy type cocks and 19 female ring-necked pheasants. After only one week of living together, cocks with female pheasants, the first fertile eggs came out. From a total of 556 eggs set, the fertility was 52.3%. 123 hybrids clutched, showing the 41,5% of exencephaly and dying during the first four weeks of age. Two types of hybrid birds, a heavy weight and a light weight became visible, being significantly different from the age of 35 days. At the age of 105 days, the heavy type reached 1400 g, exactly twice as much the weight reached by the light type. By the choose of the appropriate cock breed it could be possible to decrease the exencephaly incidence as reported in the literature and to increase the number of vital hatchlings. On the basis of the growing data obtained on this preliminary study, these hybrids seem to show an interest for zootechnical purposes.