ESTIMATION OF GENETIC AND PHENOTYPIC PARAMETERS FOR SOME PRODUCTIVE . TRAITS IN POULTRY ..

Abstract

Two native strains namely Mandarah (MN) and Matrouh (MT) were used in crossing experiment. This experiment was carried out in the Poultry Breeding Research Station at Inshas, Sharkia Governorate, Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt in the period from March 1990 to December 1991. A total number of 408 dams and 34 sires from each strain were chosen randomly to get purebred and crossbred progeny. The F1 purebreds, F 1 cross and F1 reciprocal cross progeny were produced in one hatch with a total of 3092 chicks. Body weight (BW) at hatch and biweekly, thereafter up to 16 weeks of age for strains and their crosses were recorded. Daily gain (G) and livability (L) biweekly were compuoted. Three eggs in successive months were taken from each daughter within each strain and their crosses (602 daughters) to study traits of egg characteristics with a total number of 1806 eggs. Linear contrasts of mating type least squares means were compuoted to quantify differences attributable to sire breed, dam breed and direct . heterosis effects. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among traits and heritabilities were also estimated.