Genetic analysis of egg production traits in four chicken breeds using a full diallel cross

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cg.authorship.typesCGIAR and developing country institute
cg.contributor.affiliationEthiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
cg.contributor.affiliationAddis Ababa University
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Livestock Research Institute
cg.contributor.donorInternational Livestock Research Institute
cg.coverage.countryEthiopia
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ET
cg.coverage.regionAfrica
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africa
cg.creator.identifierPhilimon Teshome Feyisa: 0009-0000-9458-4729
cg.creator.identifierWondmeneh Esatu Woldegiorgiss: 0000-0001-7279-8240
cg.creator.identifierTadelle Dessie: 0000-0002-1630-0417
cg.howPublishedFormally Published
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2025.105459
cg.isijournalISI Journal
cg.issn0032-5791
cg.issue9
cg.journalPoultry Science
cg.reviewStatusPeer Review
cg.subject.ilriGENETICS
cg.subject.ilriPOULTRY
cg.subject.impactAreaNutrition, health and food security
cg.subject.sdgSDG 2 - Zero hunger
cg.volume104
dc.contributor.authorTeshome, Philimon
dc.contributor.authorGoshu, G.
dc.contributor.authorEsatu, Wondmeneh
dc.contributor.authorDessie, Tadelle
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-23T08:30:49Z
dc.date.available2025-06-23T08:30:49Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/175242
dc.titleGenetic analysis of egg production traits in four chicken breeds using a full diallel cross
dcterms.abstractIn the present study, effects of crossbreeding on egg production traits were evaluated using a 4 × 4 full diallel cross involving four chicken breeds: Improved Horro (H), Sasso (S), Potchefstroom Koekoek (K), and Dz-white feathered (D). The experiment included 800 chickens in a completely randomized design. Data on egg production traits were collected over 40 weeks (WK). Genotypes exhibited significant variations (P < 0.0001) in age at first egg (AFE), body weight at sexual maturity (BWSM), egg weight at first egg (EWAFE), egg number (EN), hen-housed egg production (HHEP), hen-day egg production (HDEP), and egg mass (EM). Heterosis effects (H<sup>e</sup>) varied widely, with positive H<sup>e</sup> for BWSM and EM in most crosses, while AFE consistently showed negative H<sup>e</sup>. All reciprocal crosses showed positive H<sup>e</sup> for EWAFE, while direct crosses had negative values except H × S and H × D. The K × H cross showed the highest H<sup>e</sup> for HHEP (26.85%), HDEP (29.44%), EM (40.88%), and EN (28.27%). The cross D × H also exhibited strong H<sup>e</sup> for HHEP (25.16%) and EN (24.60%), while K × S ranked second for HDEP (22.60%) and EM (33.89%). Reciprocal crosses showed positive H<sup>e</sup> for BWSM, EWAFE, HHEP, HDEP, EM, and EN, except AFE. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were highly significant (P<0.0001) for all traits. Reciprocal effects (RE) and maternal effects (M<sup>e</sup>) also influenced trait expression. GCA/SCA ratios indicated that non-additive effects influenced AFE, while additive effects influenced EWAFE. Moderate ratios for HHEP, HDEP, EM, and EN suggested a balance between additive and non-additive effects. Optimizing crossbreeding strategies, aligning with synthetic breed development, using a K sire with H and S dams, and a D sire with H dam, is recommended to improve egg production.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dcterms.audienceAcademics
dcterms.audienceScientists
dcterms.available2025-06-20
dcterms.bibliographicCitationTeshome, P., Goshu, G., Esatu, W. and Dessie, T. 2025. Genetic analysis of egg production traits in four chicken breeds using a full diallel cross. Poultry Science 104(9): 105459.
dcterms.extent105459
dcterms.issued2025-09
dcterms.languageen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-NC-ND-4.0
dcterms.publisherElsevier
dcterms.subjectgenetics
dcterms.subjectpoultry
dcterms.typeJournal Article

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