Heritability And Response To Selection Of Egg Production And Egg Quality Traits In Three Generations Of Japanese Quail

📄 Project Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the heritability and response to selection of egg production and quality traits in three generations of Japanese quail (Cortunix cortunix japonica). A total of 300, 450 and 420 adult Japanese quails mated at seventh week of age and in the ratio of 1:2 male to female ratio were used. A total of 4906 eggs (2461, 1365 and 1080) in base population, Generation One and Generation Two were collected and incubated. Egg collection for egg quality analyses was done at ninth week of age. At mating, Sire body weight was weighed and grouped into four weight groups. Selection for egg number was carried out and the correlated response estimated. Traits measured included body weight of sire at mating, egg number and egg internal and external quality traits. The egg quality trait was carried out using the breakout analysis. Data was analyzed using SAS Statistical Software. The effect of sire bodyweight at mating and the generation of selection on reproductive perf...