Effect of crossbreeding between two strains of chickens on productive performance during growing period

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Abstract: The objective of this work was to improve our local chicken strains throughout the heterotic effect of crossing between exotic breed (Hubbard) with local one (Sinai). Ten Hubbard cocks were used to collect semen at 32 weeks of age and artificially inseminated to 100 Sinai hens as crossbred (cock / 10 hens) two times per week. Also, 10 Sinai cocks and 10 Hubbard cocks were used to collect semen and artificially inseminated to 100 Sinai hens and 100 Hubbard hens, respectively, as control.
Results obtained showed that significant differences were found for body weight between genetic groups. The average of body weight for crossbred was significantly higher than Sinai . However, Hubbard was significantly superior and higher than that of Sinai or crossbred for body weight at different ages studied .Same trend was obtained for body weight gain at different ages studied. The least squares means of feed consumption of crossbreed was significantly better than that of Sinai and Hubbard breeds. The best feed conversion for crossbreed was 1.45 and 1.43 at 4 and 8 wk of age, respectively. The highest estimates of heterosis for body weight and body weight gain were 29 and 20% for 10 and 12 wk of age , respectively. This indicated that using Hubbard as a sire gave high heterosis percentage for body weight at 12 wk of age. The heterotic effect on feed consumption and feed conversion of genetic groups studied were negative throughout all ages studied. The crossbred showed lower egg fertility (90.4%) than that of Hubbard (96.6%) and Sinai (95.1%). The heterosis of fertility was negative with low estimate (-6%). Concerning hatchability percentage (based on total setting eggs) , Sinai gave higher hatchability percentage (90.0%) than each of Hubbard (86%) or crossbred (85%) . Furthermore, hatchability percentage (based on fertile eggs set) was high in Sinai (95.1%) and crossbred (94.0%) than that of Hubbard breed (83.0%). The heterotic effect of hatchability (based on fertile eggs set) was positive with 5% value.
Genetic parameters showed that crossbred had various heritability estimates from low estimate at BW4 (0.11) , moderate estimate at BW8 (0.18) and BW12 (0.17) to high estimate of 0.33 at BW0. While Sinai had heritability ranged from 0.07 for BW4 to 0.18 for BW8. Results declared positive and high genetic correlations with good values in Sinai strain between all growth traits studied . On the other hand, negative genetic correlations were occurred between BW0 and both of BW8 and BWG8 in crossbred. Also, negative genetic correlation were obtained between BW4, BW8 and BW12 with each of (BW8 and BWG8), (BW12 and BWG12) and BWG8, respectively, in crossbred. Genetic correlation between BW4 and both of BW12 and BWG12in crossbred were positive and high ( 0.85 and 0.49, respectively). This result could be used in selection for body weight at 4 weeks in crossbred.
It could be concluded that , crossbreeding improved body weight feed utilization for Sinai chicken strain . This could be an encouraging factor for using foreign breeds in a crossbreeding program in Egypt to improve growth traits in our local breeds.

Publication year

2007

Pages

1175-1187

Availability location

معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة

Availability number

Organization Name

Animal Production Research Institute (APRI)

City

الاسكندرية

serial title