Fertility, Body Weight and Survivability of Two Lines of Broiler Stock under Selection

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of two lines of broiler breeders under selection. The traits of interest were fertility, body weight and survival rate. A total of 120 day-old broiler chicks were hatched from two lines of broiler breeder chickens under selection (Sire and Dam lines). The chicks were hatched from a population of breeder hens and cocks with a mating ratio of 1 broiler cock to 6 broiler hens (1:6). Eggs were collected and pedigreed according to the lines and sire information. The eggs were weighed on a Camry model digital sensitive scale in grams. Eggs were set and hatched in a Buckeye incubator. Each hatched chick was tagged and weighed at hatching and then weekly up to 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using general linear model (GLM). Correlation and regression analysis were based on pooled data from both lines. Results showed that the lines differed with respect to fertility (67.67% and 83.00%), hatchability (77.79 and 49.00) and survival rate (77.78 and 94.14). Also changes in body weight increased as their ages increased with the dam line being superior. There was a low R2 value of between 0.05-0.33 when egg weight and hatch weight were pooled and considered as independent variables. In conclusion the lines were superior to each other differently as the sire line had better egg weight and hatchability while the dam line was better in fertility, survival rate and body weight performance. This variation in traits can be used in selection for hybrid strain in the broiler.