Genetic parameter estimates for body weight and linear body measurements in pure and crossbred progenies of Nigerian indigenous chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to estimate genetic parameters for progenies of Nigerian indigenous chickens generated in matings involving exotic broiler parent stock. Heritability estimates for body weight ranged from 0.05 at 1 day-old to 0.45 at weeks 12 and 16 while the highest heritability estimate for breast girth was 0.72 at week 12. Genetic correlations among the growth traits ranged from 0.43 to 0.99 at weeks 1 and 20 respectively. Phenotypic correlation coefficients obtained among body weight and linear body measurements were positive. At 1 day-old, the phenotypic correlations were very low with the highest value being 0.15 between body weight and breast girth and the value increased to 0.92 at week 20.These results suggest that additive heritabilities are low for body weight and linear body measurements in the early period of growth in pure and crossbreds of Nigerian indigenous chickens.