Selection for broiler dam line cockerels: Multi-trait, multi-stage and multi-source index selection

C.P.Malik, D.S. Dalal, Didar Singh and Z.S. Malik
Department of Animal Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University
Hisar-125004 (Haryana)

Data on 1663 progenies of 40 sires belonging to broiler dam line were used for this study. The traits recorded were 6 week body weight (BW6) of cockerels; age at first egg (AFE), egg production upto 40 weeks of age (EP40) and egg weight at 32 weeks of age (EW32) of half-sib pullets of cockerels and blood biochemical traits were 5 /-nucleotidase (5 /-N), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) enzymes of both the sexes at six weeks of age. The data were analyzed by using Harvey ’s mixed model least squares technique. The genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated by paternal half-sib correlation method. In first stage, 25 per cent cockerels (I=1.27) were assumed to be selected on the basis of index of BW6. In the second stage, 20 per cent cockerels out of the first stage selected, were retained to have finally 5 per cent cockerels, on the basis of index constructed after using half sibs’ performance for AFE, EP40 and EW32 in three combinations. In the second stage selection, the index based on EP40 and EW32 was found the best. The heritability of first stage index and the best ‘second stage index’ was 0.375 and 0.436, respectively. Through the application of this procedure, it is expected that per generation response may be 15.23g, 10.02g, -0.13 days, 2.25 eggs, 0.49g, 0.65 IU and –32.61 IU/L in BW6, BW20, AFE, EP40, EW32, 5 /-N and IAP, respectively

Source : IPSACON-2005

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