Genotype-By-Sex Interaction Effect on Growth Traits at Different Ages in Slow-Growing Chickens
Genotype-By-Sex Interaction Effect on Growth Traits at Different Ages in Slow-Growing Chickens
Mohamed El-Henfnawy*, Essam A. El-Gendy, Ahamed M. El-Kaiaty, Mostafa Helal
ABSTRACT
Local and indigenous chicken breeds play important roles in rural development and sustainability, and thus, evaluating and improving local breeds is essential. Genotype-by-sex interaction refers to the interaction of genetic architecture with male or female performance. The current study aimed to evaluate the genotype-by-sex (G×S) interaction on the growth performance of a selected chicken line and its genetic control line. The results revealed significant G × S interactions for body weights at 4 and 10 weeks of age. The line effects on body weight traits were significant and consistent except for 2-wk body weight. Also, significant sex effects were shown for body weights at all ages. The effect of sex on biweekly body weight gains and growth rates was significant for the traits from 0 to 4, 6 to 8, and 12 to 14 weeks of age. The line effect was significant for 0-2 and 2-4 growth rates, and 0-2 and 6-8 body-weight gains. The line × sex interaction was not significant for body weight gain and growth rate traits except for growth rate from hatch to 2 weeks of age. Growth rates in males were significantly higher than females at early ages. Although the genotype-by-sex effect on the performance of the selected line (CE2) was deceased at the 6th generation of selection, it has been retrieved at the 10th generation of selection.
Keywords | Local chicken, Body weight, Selection, Growth rate, Sustainability
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