EFFECTS OF AUTOSOMAL DWARF GENE ON EGG WEIGHT, FERTILITY, HATCHABILITY AND CHICK WEIGHT

A total of 382 eggs from RIR, RIR×Ddw, WLH, WLH×Ddw, FO, FO×Ddw,  Ddw×Ddw and DN×DN hens were collected and  hatched to compare egg weight, fertility, hatchability and chick weight. The RIR and WLH eggs were significantly (p<0.01) heavier (50.98 and 50.25g) than FO(46.28g), RIR×Ddw (46.02g), WLH×Ddw (43.34g), DN×DN (41.63g), Ddw×Ddw (39.58g) and FO×Ddw (36.69g). Day-old chick weights were higher for RIR (35.68g), WLH (33.84g), RIR×Ddw (33.61g) and FO (33.57g) than WLH ×Ddw (31.16g), DN×DN (30.21g), FO×Ddw (29.41g) and Ddw×Ddw (27.51g). The data signify that dwarfing effect of autosomal dwarf gene(adw) on egg weight and chick weight were breed dependent; it was proportionately higher in smaller breeds. Therefore, it was concluded that adw inheritance may be more effective in lighter chicken genotype may be more useful in improving egg production potentials.