Genetic study on growth rate, body conformation and feed efficiency traits in broilers

Abstract

The data on 1002 broiler chicks belonging to synthetic growth line population of21 sires and 105 dams maintained at poultry research centre of the university were recorded for body weight at 5 and 8 weeks, shank length, keel bone length and breast angle at 5 and 8 weeks of age, feed consumption and feed efficiency during 5-8 weeks of age and analysed. The least-squares means o'fthe traits for combined sexes were 787.07± 3.287 g, 1773.46±0.170 g, 5.02±0.03 em, 7.02±0.02 em, 48.59±0.17°, 7.08±0.01 em, 9.35±0.02 em, 70.20±O.08°, 2468.08±6.65 g and 2.49±O.01 respectively. The hatch effect was significant for all the traits. The sex effect was also significant on all the traits except feed consumption during 5-8 weeks. The heritability estimates by sire and dam components for all the traits under study were very low to medium. The genetic and phenotypic correlation among all the traits were positive and mostly associated with high standard errors.