Genetic parameters of some layer performance traits in a control line of Rhode Island Red chicken

Abstract

The study aimed to assess genetics of some layer performance traits in a control line of Rhode Island Red (RIR) chicken maintained at Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar. A total of 193 pedigreed pullet progenies of 30 sires mated with 41 dams in two hatches were investigated. Data were analyzed by least squares analysis of variance, and heritability and correlation parameters of different traits were estimated using full-sib correlation method. The least squares means of age at first egg, body weights at 20th and 40th week, egg weights at 28th and 40th week and part period egg production upto 40 weeks of age were estimated. Sires significantly (P<0.05) affected the estimates of body weights, but dam within sire could not affect (P<0.05) any estimate. Hatch influenced (P<0.05) the estimates of age at first egg and body weight at 40th week of age. Birds’ housing weight demonstrated significant regression effect on the estimates of age at first egg, body weight and egg weight at 40th week of age. The heritability estimates from sire component of variance of the traits ranged from 0.018 to 0.438. Corresponding estimates from dam component and sire plus dam component ranged from 0.060 to 0.643 and 0.102 to 0.355. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among the traits were low to high in magnitude when estimated from sire plus dam component. The investigation generated some valuable genetic information of layer performances which might be used as the pre-requisites for chalking out of breeding strategies for its genetic improvement.