Logistic growth curve of chickens: heritability of parameters

Abstract

Parameters of the logistic function of growth, fit to individual body weight curves of two randombred control populations of each sex of chickens from hatching to 45 weeks of age, were evaluated. Growth-rate constant and age at the Inflection point in the curve were estimated by the method of sample quantiles from individual weekly body weights of 225 males and 281 females of the Rhode island Red (RIR) line, and 164 males and 239 females of the White Leghorn (WL) line. Heritability estimates, based on correlation among full-sibs, of growth rate constant were 0.18 ± 0.32 in males and 0.29 ± 0.29 In females of the RIR line, and 0.41 ± 0.40 in males and 0.42 ± 0.32 in females of the WL line. Estimates of heritability of age at the inflection point were 0.36 ± 0.44 in males and 0.42 ± 0.32 in females of the RIR line, and 0.46 ± 0.41 in males and 0.50 ± 0.28 in females of the WL line. Observed variation for each trait probably does not provide evidence for heritable differences. No genetic correlations were evident among growth-rate constant, age at the point of inflection, and initial or maximum weight. According to these results, it does not appear that selection for growth-rate constant or age at the point of inflection will change the shape of the growth curve of these populations genetically. Moreover, correlated genetic change in initial or maximum weight would not be expected.