PSXII-11 Comparison of Egg-Laying Ability Among Eight Lines Including Korean Native Chicken (KNC)

Abstract Chicken egg production capacity is an important economic trait in the poultry industry. To improve the usability of Korean Native chicken (KNC), we measured the egg traits [age of first egg (AFE), first egg weight (FEW), egg number (EN), egg weight (EW)] and performed a comparative analysis. Age of first egg is the number of days an individual starts producing eggs. FEW is the weight of the first egg produced. EN and EW are the number of eggs produced between 20 and 40 weeks old and the weight of the eggs. The chicken breeds we used in our study were KNC (GBY, GWY, CNB, CNW, CNY, CNK), Ameraucana (AMR) and Leghorn (LEG). The CNK line started laying eggs at 140.75 ± 6.23 days. The AFE of CNK was faster than LEG (142.35 ± 7.20, P < 0.05). The weight of the first egg after starting egg production AMR line (44.1 ± 5.20g) produced the heaviest egg among the investigative groups (P < 0.05). The CNY line laid the lightest egg (31.9 ± 3.80g). FEW of KNC was less than that of both LEG and AMR breeds (P < 0.05). The AFE was late and FEW was the greatest in the AMR breed. The LEG which is a representative laying hen laid the most EN between 20 and 40 weeks of age (118.35 ± 10.07). LEG was greater than the CNK (106.85 ± 14.66), which laid the second most (P < 0.05). The CNB (82.45 ± 20.68) showed the least EN. The EW of the AMR (54.20 ± 4.30) was the heaviest (P < 0.05). On the contrary, Six KNC (CNK: 45.70 ± 3.00, GBY: 45.20 ± 3.10, GWY: 45.20 ± 2.20, CNB: 44.60 ± 3.20, CNY: 43.70 ± 3.90, CNW: 43.50 ± 3.40) lines produced lighter eggs than LEG (51.50 ± 3.50) and AMR (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the average egg production performance of the KNC six lines was generally less than that of the LEG and AMR breeds. However, some lines of KNC confirmed that the start date of egg production was faster than other breeds. These results will be used to investigate the genomic pattern of egg production in KNC population and provide fundamental data for gene-based selection to improve egg production.