Prediction of laying performance by some body measurements at 4 weeks of age in silver Montazah chickens
Abstract: The study was conducted to investigate the effect of some body measurements at 4 weeks of age on productive performance traits. A total number of 131 pullets of Silver Montazah strain were individually weighed with measuring shank, thigh and keel lengths at 4 weeks of age;
Which classified into three groups: short, medium and long lengths. At 20 weeks of age pullets were transferred to individual layer cages until 40 weeks of age.
The pullets of short keels recorded sexual matured delayer (P<0.05) than of medium and long keels by about 5.5 days, while long shanks recorded (P<0.05) heavier body weight at sexual maturity than those of other lengths. Pullets of longer lengths measurements produced (P<0.05) more egg number, egg mass and rate of laying than those of shorter lengths. Keel length was negatively (P<0.05) correlated with age at sexual maturity, while the positively (P<0.05) correlated between shank and keel lengths and body weight at sexual maturity and between the measurements (thigh and keel lengths) and egg number, rate of laying or egg mass at 90 days of laying. It could be stated that it is possible to predict the productive performance by using body measurements at 4 weeks of age for performance of Silver Montazah chickens.
Conclusively, it could be concluded that long shank and keel lengths may be a good indicator of heavy body weight and high egg production traits of Silver Montazah chickens, respectively.
Key words: Local strain, body measurements, egg production.
Publication year 2008
Pages 625-635
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
serial title Journal Production & Development
ISSN 1110-2643
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Animal physiology - Nutrition
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Body measurements. Chickens. Egg production. Forecasting. Layer chickens. Performance testing.
Proposed Agrovoc Local strain;
Publication Type Journal
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