Estimation of growth performance combining abilities among some straight-bred turkey strains applying diallel crossing scheme [electronic resouce].

Includes references.

A full diallel crossing study involving Broad Breasted Bronze, (BB), White Holland (WH) and Mehallah 85 (M85) pure strains was conducted. Objectives of the experiment were to evaluate general and specific combing ability (GCA & SCA) and maternal ability (MA) effects on body weight and growth rate during growing period. The potential of using any of the studied strains as a sire or a dam breed was also studied. Significant differences (P< 0.05, P< 0.01 and P< 0.001) were found in body weight and growth rate at all studied ages among the 9 different genotypes, where the heaviest genotype at every age in each sex was recorded by a cross genotype. Significant differences were found in GCA where M85 strain recorded the highest positive value followed by BB breed; while the most distinct SCA was for BB X M85 crosses (significant positive effect). BB strain showed significant and positive maternal effect at most studied ages on its male progenies. In conclusion, the results showed that M85 positive significant GCA for body weight at different ages, mean while, superiority for relative growth rate in most interval periods; crossing BB X M85 had superiority in SCA for body weight and relative growth rate except males of crossing WH X M85 which surpassed in relative growth rate; BB had the superiority of MA for body weight of males when WH had the superiority of MA for relative growth rate. These results suggest that crossing by using BB and M85 strains could be utilize additive and non-additive genetic effects. More genetic improving would be expected from these strains putting under reciprocal recurrent selection program.

Summary in Arabic.

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