Selection for food conversion in broilers: Direct and correlated responses to selection for body‐weight gain, food consumption and food conversion ratio

Abstract

1. Direct and correlated responses were determined after five generations in four lines of chickens selected either for increased body‐weight gain (line W), for increased food consumption (line F), for decreased food conversion ratio (line E), or at random (line C). 2. Realised heritability estimates calculated after five generations of selection were : 0–37 + 0.04 for weight gain (WG); 0.44 + 0.05 for food consumption (FC); 0.21 + 0.04 for food conversion ratio (FCR). 3. Realised genetic correlation estimates were: WG and FC, +0.71 ±006; WG and FCR, ‐0.40±0.09; FC and FCR, +0.27 + 0.09. 4. Zero‐generation heritability and genetic correlation estimates were greater than the realised estimates, and sex linkage appeared to be important in the expression of all three traits. 5. The genetic correlation between FC and FCR was asymmetrical with considerable positive response in FCR in line F (rg = +0.79) but negligible response in FC in line E (rg = —0.01). 6. There was an apparent plateau in response in FCR in line E from the third to the fifth selected generations.