Estimation of Genetic Parameters of Important Economic Traits in Ankaleshwar Breed of Chicken

The present investigation was carried out with the performance records of Ankaleshwar birds spanning one generation to estimate genetic parameters of economically important traits. A mixed linear model was employed for the analysis, incorporating sire as a random effect and mean as fixed effect. The performance traits included age at first egg (AFE), egg weight at 28 weeks of age (EW28) and 40 week of age (EW40), body weight at 16 weeks of age (BW16) and 40 weeks of age (BW40), egg number up to 40 weeks (TEN40). Highly significant (p≤0.01) effect of sire was observed on all traits, except EW28 and EW40. The least squares means for performance traits AFE, EW28, EW40, BW16, BW40 and TEN40 were 150.78±0.38 days, 38.22±0.10 g, 42.94±0.10 g, 962.21±4.07 g, 1556.20±7.01 g and 83.47±0.51 eggs, respectively. The heritability estimates were low to moderate for all the traits. The age at first egg was negatively associated with egg weight at 40 weeks (r=-0.81) and total egg production up to 40 weeks (r=-0.67). Further, body weight at 16 weeks of age had strong association with body weight of 40 weeks (r=0.93). There were positive genetic associations of egg weight at 40 weeks with body weight at 40 weeks (r=0.74) and total egg production up to 40 weeks (r=0.50). These findings emphasize that incorporating early measurable traits and key reproductive indicators along with their correlated responses is essential for developing an efficient and sustainable breeding programme to improve egg production and overall productivity in Ankaleshwar breed of chicken.