Genetic Analysis of Body Conformation and Feed Efficiency Characteristics in a Selected Line of Rhode Island Red Chicken

Abstract

This investigation aimed to evaluate genetics of body conformation and feed efficiency characteristics in a selected line of Rhode Island Red chicken taking 100 numbers of single hatched out pedigreed chicks at Central Avian Research Institute (India). Data was analyzed by least squares analysis of variance. Least squares means of body weight, shank length, keel length, breast angle, body Weight Gain (WG), Feed Consumption (FC) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were estimated at various weeks of age. Sires of the chicks significantly (p<0.05) influenced the estimates of all the traits throughout the ages with a few exceptions. Chicks' sex also affected (p<0.05) the estimates of all the traits excepting 4th week body conformation traits, FC at 6th week onwards and 6th week FCR only. Male birds demonstrated better estimates than females throughout the ages. The FC and 16th week FCR also varied (p<0.05) among different feeding groups. All the traits excluding FC were heritable at variable magnitude. The estimates of genetic and phenotypic correlations coefficients were positive in trends with high magnitude among the intra-week body conformation traits and least to high magnitude among various feed efficiency traits. Only WG and FCR were invariably negatively correlated with a range of low to high genetic correlation coefficients. These research-outcomes may serve as base information to the breeders and academicians.

Genetic parameter estimates for juvenile body weight in indigenous Uttara chickens

“…The similar estimate of the heritability was observed by Das et al (2015). Lower estimates of heritability were reported by Dana et al (2011), Niknafs et al (2012, Ghorbani et al (2012), Firozjah et al (2015), Padhi et al (2015) and Salehinasab et al (2015).…”

“…Lower estimates of heritability were reported by Shad et al (2007) in Iranian native fowls of Azarbaijan and Esfahan breeding stations, Dana et al (2011), Ghorbani et al (2012), Niknafs et al (2012), Faruque et al (2013) in Native chicken genotype (ND), Ghorbani et al (2013), Hosseini et al (2013), Osei-Amponsah et al (2013), Firozjah et al (2015 and Padhi et al (2015). However, higher estimates of heritability were reported by Adeleke et al (2011), Bahmanimehr et al (2012), Faruque et al (2013) in Native chicken genotype (H and NN) and Das et al (2015).…”

“…Lower estimates of heritability were reported by Adeleke et al (2011), Rajkumar et al (2011) in Dwarf chicken (h 2 d) and (h 2 s+d), Rajkumar et al (2012) and Padhi et al (2015). However, a higher estimate of heritability was reported by Rajkumar et al (2011) in Dwarf chicken (h 2 s), Haunshi et al (2012) in Assel (h 2 d), Osei-Amponsah et al (2013) and Das et al (2015).…”

“…Lower estimates of heritability were reported by Dana et al (2011) and Mishra et al (2014). However, higher estimates of heritability were reported by Adeleke et al (2011), Veeramani et al (2012, Faruque et al (2013), Meshram et al (2014) and Das et al (2015).…”

Comparative Assessment on Performance of Aseel and Kadaknath in Hot and Humid Conditions in Tropics

“…Breed effect on FCR was highly significant (P<0.01) for 1, 2, 9 and 10 weeks. 4 th week FCR for Aseel and Kadaknath breeds was 3.62±0.17 and 3.18±0.1 which is less than findings of Das et al, (2016) for CARI Sonali with FCR of 4.04±0.07. FCR for Kadaknath is in close agreement to the observations of Parmar (2003).…”