Estimations of Direct Genetic Effect, Maternal Effect and Heterosis for Various Strains of Meat-Type Chickens. 2. Feed Conversion*

A. AL-Soudi, K.; M. Razuki, Waleed

	Estimations of Direct Genetic Effect, Maternal Effect and Heterosis for Various Strains of Meat-Type Chickens. 2. Feed Conversion*
iraqi poultry sciences journal
Article 1, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2006, Pages 1-13
Authors
K. A. AL-Soudi; Waleed M. Razuki
Abstract
An experiment was carried out to estimate the direct genetic effect and maternal effect ,as well as, heterosis on feed conversion ratio ( FCR ). A total of 960 dam chicks and 200 sire chicks day old from four broiler breeder strains (Fawbro, FB; IPA 2000, IP; Lohman, LH; Hybro, HB) with 240 dam chicks and 50 sire chicks for each were used. At 24 wk of age, 160 dams and 46 sires from each strain were selected to be parents. They were mated a full 4 x4 diallel cross, which resulted in 16 genetic group combinations. The comparisons among genetic group were made after obtaining hatching eggs (100 eggs/ combination) from parent dams at 50 wk of age. These hatching eggs were incubated to obtain the genetic groups that used in this study. A total of 50 broiler chicks per strain crosses (800 chicks for all genetic combinations) were reared in floor house with 32 pens. They were assigned after wing-banded on the experimental replications with two replicates per combination (25-chicks/ replicate). There were significant differences on FCR from 1-28, 29-49 and 1-49 days of age. The hybrids LHxHB exhibited better FCR from 1-28 and 1-49 days of age. Direct genetic effect of parents LH and HB exhibited negative significant estimation at 1-28 and 29-49 days of age respectively. The hybrids LHxIP and HBxLH at 1-28 days of age exhibited negative significant specific combining ability (SCA) on FCR. Meanwhile, the parents of IP strains exhibited positive significant estimations at 29-49 days of age. Reciprocal hybrids LHxIP, FBxLH and IPxHB exhibited positive significant reciprocal effect (RCA) at 0-28 days of age and negative RCA at 29-49 days of age. Generally, There were nonsignificant differences in FCR due to maternal effect. The line heterosis for LH and HB strains was negative, while it was positive for FB and IP strains. The significant estimation of line heterosis in all strains was occurred only at 1-28 days of age. Average heterosis differences for FCR were not significant at any period.

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