Population status and distribution of Bulgarian indigenous chicken breeds.

Ten breeds of chickens have been created in the Republic of Bulgaria, two of which are under national control, and the rest are bred only by amateur poultry breeders. The present study aims to determine the population status and regionalization of the local breeds of chickens in the Republic of Bulgaria. The most extensive area of distribution is shown by Struma chicken, Bregovska dzhinka, and Struma bantam breeds, and Stara Zagora red chicken, the Rhodope painted chicken, and Southwest Bulgarian dzhinka - with local distribution. The most numerous breed is the Bregovska dzhinka, occupying 34% of the total number of birds of the studied breeds, and the least numerous is the Southwest Bulgarian dzhinka with only 2% relative share. The predicted rate of inbreeding (ΔF) for the Bulgarian breeds, varies from 0.04% for Bregovska dzhinka to 0.77% for Southwest Bulgarian dzhinka. Population growth rate (r) values vary from 0.93 in the Black Shumen chicken to 1.21 in the Rhodope chicken. Considering various factors influencing the determination of the conservation status, it can be summarized that Bulgarian breeds of chickens, except for Bregovska dzhinka, have an endangered or critical status. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of those breeds where a significant concentration of the main part of their population is observed in an area with a radius of less than 50 km and/or bred in a small number of farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]