Heritability and Genetic Correlations of Growth Traits Among Inbred Population of Nigerian Chickens

This study was carried out to estimate heritability for body weight, as well as the genetic correlations between these traits of the Nigerian inbred Local Chicken (NILC) reared at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The study lasted for 2 months, and the heritability and genetic correlations of the traits were estimated using Animal Model Design of the SAS 2004 statistical procedure. The direct heritability for body weights of NILC were 0.51, 0.76, 0.89, 0.22 and 0.20 at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8. In the present study, high heritability estimates (0.51, 0.76 and 0.89) were recorded for weeks 1, 2 and 4, respectively, but medium for weeks 6 and 8. Genetic correlations between 1BW and 4BW, 8BW, 4BL, 8BL, 4SL, 8SL, 4CG, 8CG were 0.984, 0.763, 0.953, 0.735 0.72, -0.952, 0.989 and -0.481, respectively. Estimates for genetic correlations ranged from -0.481 to 0.989 among the traits considered in this study. High and positive genetic correlations were recorded for 1BW and other traits except for 8SL and 8CG, which had negative genetic correlations. High estimates of heritability found in the present study indicate that additive genetic variances exist for these traits. Selection for body weight at 1 or 2 weeks of age, therefore, is likely to result in a genetic gain in the NILC. Furthermore, the high and positive genetic correlations observed indicate that selection for one trait will result in a correlated response on the other traits compared in the study.