Genetic studies on reproduction and production traits of Uttara breed of chicken and its crosses
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Date
2021-08, 2021-08
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
The data for the present study were obtained from 1711 progenies of 288 dams and 48 sires from 12 hatches maintained at Instructional Poultry Farm (I.P.F) of University. A total eight genetic groups viz. Cross 1 (Uttara × White Cornish), cross 2 (White Cornish × Uttara), cross 3 (Uttara × Uttara), cross 4 (White Cornish × White Cornish), cross 5 (Uttara × Kadaknath), cross 6 (Kadaknath × Uttara), cross 7 (Uttara × White Leghorn) and cross 8 (White Leghorn × Uttara) were developed for the present experiment. The aim of the experiment was to study growth traits, production traits, conformation traits, carcass traits, proximate analysis of meat samples, egg quality traits, haemato-biochemical traits, heritability estimates, genetic and phenotypic correlations of different crosses. The data were recorded on males of body weights from day old to 22 weeks at 2 weeks interval. The average of 22 weeks body weight in C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7 and C8 crosses were 1360.89 ± 5.59, 1292.65 ± 5.68, 1290.33 ± 5.75, 1289.24 ± 5.81, 1252.69 ± 9.79, 1241.15 ± 6.36, 1272.46 ± 11.39 and 1277.98 ± 8.24 gm and corresponding values in females were 1299.14 ± 3.21, 1232.81 ± 4.58, 1235.18 ± 12.50, 1229.28 ± 6.55, 1189.94±12.51, 1169.82 ± 9.26, 1225.60 ± 8.70 and 1216.41 ± 7.72 gm respectively. The higher body weights were observed in cross 1 for males and females than other crosses. The lower age at first egg found in cross 1 and higher egg production found in cross 7 and 8 than the other crosses. The egg weight at 35 weeks of age was found higher in cross 7 than the other crosses. The higher values of conformation traits for males and females found in cross 1 than other crosses. Cross 1 had the highest percentage in most of the carcass traits which is considered as desirable traits followed by other crosses. The proximate analysis of meat in present study indicates that cross 1 had highest crude protein and lower fat per cent in thigh muscle. The egg albumen width was significantly lower in cross 5 and 6. The albumen height, albumen weight and yolk width were significantly higher in cross 7 than other crosses. The egg yolk height was found significantly higher in cross 5 and 6 and egg yolk weight was significantly higher in cross 8 and lower in cross 5 and 6 in present findings. Lower blood glucose and total cholesterol levels found in cross 5 and 6. Low triglyceride levels and LDL values were found in cross 5, 6, 7 and 8 in comparison to other crosses. Higher protein and globulin values were observed in cross 1, whereas, lower albumin values were found in cross 1 and 2 than other crosses. Higher hemoglobin values were found in cross 5 and lower packed cell volume was observed in cross 1 in comparison to other crosses.Body weight and conformations traits viz. shank length, keel length and breast angle (8 and 20 weeks of age) had medium to high heritability estimates for males and females in different crosses.The age at first egg and egg number had low to high heritable estimates. Heritability estimates were medium to high for egg weight at 35 weeks of age in different crosses and ranged from 0.21 ±0.11 to 0.41 ±0.37. At genetic and phenotypic level there existed low to high positive correlation among the body weights in males for all crosses. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among body weights in females were highly positive in cross 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8, except day old body weight with all body weights at phenotypic level were low to medium positive. There existed negative low to high association at genetic and low at phenotypic level between age at first egg and egg number in all crosses. The correlation between body weights and conformation traits were positive in all crosses for male and female at genetic and phenotypic levels except negative association in some conformation traits. The correlation between body weights and age at first egg were negative in magnitude at genetic and phenotypic level. The correlation between body weights and egg number were negative in cross C1 and C7 at genetic and phenotypic levels. The cross of Uttara with White Cornish was found better for growth performance and carcass traits than other crosses, it may be considered as meat purpose breed. Cross of Uttara with White Leghorn having higher egg production and better egg quality traits than other crosses can be suggested for egg purpose breed.