Modification of selection limits for egg number

Abstract

An attempt was made to modify a near-limit of selection response in the egg production of a closed poultry flock which had been under selection for 31 years; to this end the laying hens were subjected to weekly periods of 24-hour feed deprivation, and selected for egg number under these conditions.In two replicate populations genetic gains of about 20 eggs were made under shock treatment to 40 weeks of age, over 5 and 6 generations of selection. These gains were also manifest under normal management.Selection, under 24-hour starvation per week, also improved the ability of the selected populations to lay under weekly starvation periods of 33 and 48 hours respectively. Differences between selected and unselected lines increased with the more severe stress treatments. Also it was found that the difference in average egg production between 33-hour and 48-hour treatments was larger in unselected lines than in the selected ones, indicating the existence of genotype-environment interactions.Correlated responses of reduced egg-weight and body-weight, and somewhat earlier maturity of selected lines correspond with what might be expected under normally effective selection for egg number. These adaptations however varied considerably between replicate lines.