EVALUATION OF EGG PRODUCTION AND FEED EFFICIENCY TRAITS OF NEW CROSSES ESTABLISHED USING LOCAL CHICKEN STRAINS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Poultry and Fish Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

2 Poult. and Fish Prod. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Menoufia Univ., 32511, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.

3 Poulty and fishes department- Agriculture Faculty- Minoufia University.

Abstract

Aiming to establish and evaluate new crosses, the current study was 
conducted at the research farm of the Poultry and Fish production department, at Menoufia 
University. Sinai, Gimmizah and Silver Montazah chicken were used in the current study. 
Egg production and feed efficiency traits recorded individually including age at sexual 
maturity, egg number during the first 90 days of production (EN90), egg weight and body 
weight at sexual maturity (EWSM and BWSM), body weight at 35 weeks of age (BWM), 
daily feed consumption and feed efficiency (DFC35 and EFE35). A partial diallel crossing 
scheme was applied and the performance of the different crosses was evaluated, and 
crossbreeding effects were estimated. All crosses from a recent study achieved higher EN90 
than pure lines (Parental lines) ranging between 37.2 (SMGS cross) and 43.4 (MSSG cross) 
eggs compared to 31.3 (Montazah) and 37.0 (Gimmizah) eggs. The best feed utilization 
was observed for the cross MSSG which used 4.56 g feed to produce one gram of eggs. The 
worst genotype in its feed utilization was Gimmizah hens which utilized 7.24 g feed on 
average to produce one gram of eggs. Preferable genetic effect observed for MS genotype 
(originated by crossing Silver Montazah sires with Sinai dams) regarding all egg production 
traits including ASM (-6.43 days), EN90 (2.5 eggs), EWSM (5.5 g), EWM (-0.21 g), 
BWSM (-16.35 g) and BWM (-80.21 g). Heterosis % for ASM showed a negative 
(desirable) direction for GSSM and MSSG genotypes but with low estimates (-1.086 and -
1.105 % respectively). Heterosis % for EN90 exhibited negative moderate -15.53 (SMGS); 
-16.91 (SGMS) and slightly low negative -7.343 (GSSM); -7.787 (MSSG) estimates. It can 
be concluded that the number of produced eggs during the first 90 days of production is 
negatively affected (negative heterosis) in hybrids mothered by lower egg production hens, 
and vice versa. Egg production during the first 90 days tends to be highly affected by 
heterotic effects. 

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