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Phenotypic and genetic relationships among feather scores,income minus food cost and food conversion ratio in laying hens |
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| Authors: | C Hagger |
| Institution: | Institute of Animal Sciences , Swiss Federal Institute of Technology , ETH‐Zentrum, Zurich, CH‐8092, Switzerland |
| Abstract: | 1. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated tri‐variately for income minus food cost between 21 and 40 weeks (IFC), food conversion ratio between 41 and 60 weeks (FCR) and feather score at 60 weeks (FSC) from data of 6 generations of a selection experiment aimed at improving IFC genetically in brown egg layers. 2. Heritabilities of 0.39, 0.19 and 0.20 were found for IFC, FCR and FSC, respectively. 3. Genetic correlations of ?0.61, 0.15 and 0.06 were found between IFC and FCR, IFC and FSC, FCR and FSC, respectively. 4. A positive, that is unfavourable, correlated selection response for FSC was observed in both selection lines. |
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