The relationship between age at sexual maturity and productive traits in local chickens.
Abstract: This study was designed to determinate the relationship between the age at sexual maturity (ASM) and each of growth and egg production traits and to estimate the heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients between age at sexual maturity and studied traits. A total of 292 females of Inshas strain chickens selected for age of sexual maturity were characterize to their age at sexual maturity (X ±1 SD); into three category groups being early age at sexual maturity (ESM) averaged (151.0d±1.06), medium age at sexual maturity (MSM) (167.3d±0.38) and late age at sexual maturity (LSM) (186.3d±0.56). The data of the first egg was recorded for each female.
Results showed that, there were significant differences of body weight at 4 wks (246.4, 231.7 and 202.6 gm.), at 8 wks (668.9, 605.9 and 506.0 gm.), and at 12 wks of age (900.6, 841.0 and 764.1 gm) for ESM, MSM and LSM, respectively. However, there were no significant differences of body weight at hatch (BW0) and at sexual maturity (BWSM) among the three groups. These results showed that the early age at sexual maturity group had the heaviest weight till 12 weeks of age, which was not found at sexual maturity and 37 wks. Duration period of the first 10 eggs (day) was significantly higher in ESM group (13.8 d ± 0.32) than the other two groups. Egg number and egg mass were significantly higher in ESM group than the other two groups during the first 90 days of laying Egg weight (EW) was significantly in LSM group than the other two groups for ESM and MSM groups.
Females of early sexual maturity group (ESM) had better feed conversion during the first 90 days of laying than the other two groups. Heritability estimates were 0.46, 0.29, 0.44, 0.60, 0.32, 0.51, and 0.22 for age at sexual maturity, body weight at 8 wks and sexual maturity, egg number, egg weight, Duration period of the first 10 eggs and feed conversion, respectively. The estimations of genetic and phenotypic correlations of ASM were negatively with all of body weight at 8, 12 wks, duration period of the first 10 eggs (day), egg number, egg mass. However, there were positive correlation with body weight at hatch, 4 wks, at sexual maturity, egg weight and feed conversion. In general, early sexual maturity in Inshas strain improve egg production traits and this result may be help breeder to select layers early by using high body weight at eight weeks of age.
Publication year 2012
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيواني- شارع نادي الصيد- دقي- جيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
Country Egypt
City الاسكندرية
serial title 3rd mediterranean poultry summit - 6th international poultry conference
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    حسن حسن يونس زراعة كفر الشيخ)
Agris Categories Animal husbandry
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Body weight. Chickens. Egg production. Genetic correlation. Growth. Hatching. Heritability. Sexual maturity.
Proposed Agrovoc co variance;
Publication Type Conference/Workshop
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