Genetic parameters for body weights, egg traits and antibody response against Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) vaccine among two Tanzania chicken ecotypes

• Published in: Tropical animal health and production Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 51 - 59
• Main Authors: Lwelamira, J, Kifaro, G. C, Gwakisa, P. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 2009; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aging - physiology; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body Weight - genetics; Body weights; Chickens; Chickens - genetics; Chickens - growth & development; Chickens - immunology; Disease Susceptibility - veterinary; Ecotypes; Egg traits; Eggs - analysis; Eggs - standards; Female; genetic correlation; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; heritability; immune response; Life Sciences; Newcastle disease; Newcastle Disease - genetics; Newcastle Disease - prevention & control; Newcastle disease virus; Newcastle disease virus - immunology; Original Paper; Oviposition - genetics; Oviposition - physiology; phenotypic correlation; Poultry Diseases - genetics; Poultry Diseases - prevention & control; Selection, Genetic; Sexual maturity; Tanzania; Vaccines; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science; Viral Vaccines - immunology; Zoology; Tanzania; Genetic correlation; Egg traits; Heritability; Immune response; Body weights; Phenotypic correlation
• ISSN: 0049-4747; 1573-7438
• DOI: 10.1007/s11250-008-9153-2

Genetic parameters were estimated for production traits and primary antibody response (Ab) against Newcastle diseases virus (NDV) vaccine among two Tanzania chicken ecotypes viz. Kuchi and Tanzania Medium (Medium). Production traits studied were body weights at 8 (Bwt8), 12(Bwt12), 16(Bwt16), and 20 (Bwt20) weeks of age, age at first egg (AFE), egg number in the first 90 days after sexual maturity (EN-90), egg weight (EW), egg shell thickness (STH), and egg shape index (ESI). Heritability estimates for Bwt8, Bwt12, Bwt16, Bwt20, AFE, EN-90, EW, STH, ESI and Ab for Kuchi chicken were 0.38 ± 0.10, 0.41 ± 0.07, 0.44 ± 0.08, 0.45 ± 0.09, 0.42 ± 0.10, 0.31 ± 0.05, 0.43 ± 0.08, 0.53 ± 0.11, 0.48 ± 0.13 and 0.27 ± 0.06, respectively. Corresponding estimates for Medium ecotype were 0.39 ± 0.09, 0.43 ± 0.10, 0.42 ± 0.08, 0.43 ± 0.07, 0.52 ± 0.11, 0.32 ± 0.06, 0.50 ± 0.07, 0.61 ± 0.13, 0.52 ± 0.10 and 0.29 ± 0.05, respectively. Genetic (r g) and phenotypic (rp) correlations in both ecotypes were highest among body weights (i.e. rg = 0.60 to 0.93 and rp = 0.54 to 0.78), and were lowest (around 0.10 and below, ranging from positive to negative) among primary antibody response against NDV vaccine and production traits, and among eggshell thickness, egg shape index and other production traits. The magnitudes of heritability estimates obtained in this study indicate good prospects of improving these traits in both ecotypes through selection.