Indian Journal of Poultry Science
Year : 2005, Volume : 40, Issue : 2
First page : ( 118) Last page : ( 123)
Print ISSN : 0019-5529.

Inheritance of leg and toe defects and its association with juvenile body weights in two strains of broilers

Singh Jaideep, Bajwa I.S., Singh Bhupinder

Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana - 141 004 (Punjab)

Received:  16  July,  2004; Accepted:  13  April,  2005.

Abstract

Pedigreed 3005 and 2663 broiler chicks of two growth selected strains were assessed individually for leg and toe deformities and for breast conformation score (BCS) at six-weeks of age. The experiment was designed to compare live weight and growth measurements of normal broilers and those having leg (valgus and varus) and toe deformities, pertaining to two strains (PB-1 and PB-2), at 4, 5 and 6-weeks of ages and fourconformation scores (BCS-1 to 4; 1 representing angular and 4 almost rounded breast) classification. Body weights of normal birds were significantly higher than those with leg deformities but lower than those having toe deformities at the three ages within each BCS group. The heritability estimates for valgus and slightly curled toes (SLCT) were quite low but for varus and severely curled toes (SCT) were relatively high. The genetic correlations of valgus and SCT deformities with body weights were very low and inconsistent but were positive and higher with varus and SLCT deformities. Valgus deformity was negatively and varus positively correlated with BCS on genetic scale with low magnitude. The estimates of genetic correlations of SCT and SLCT with BCS very low.

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Key words

Breast conformation score, valgus and varus leg deformities, toe deformities, heritability, genetic correlations.

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