Genetics of Growth and Reproduction in the Turkey

Abstract

SEVERAL estimates of heritability of body weight have been made for turkeys of various ages. Most of these estimates have been made using selected populations (El-Ibiary and Jull, 1948; Abplanalp and Kosin, 1952; Bumgardner and Shaffner, 1954; MacLaury et al., 1954; Goodman et al., 1954; McCartney, 1955; Johnson and Asmundson, 1957a; and Cook et al., 1962). The unweighted averages of these estimates were .40, .42, .43 and .36, respectively, for birds in the age groups 0 to 8, 9 to 16, 17 to 24, and greater than 24 weeks. McCartney (1961) estimated the heritability of body weight at 8, 16, and 24 weeks of age by full sib analysis in a randombred control population. These estimates averaged .68, .61, and .62, respectively, at the three ages. Abplanalp et al. (1963) observed realized heritabilities of .43 and .62 for 8 and 24 week body weights, respectively. Estimates of the heritability of . . .