EFFECTS ON BROILER PERFORMANCE OF A SINGLE GENERATION OF SIRE SELECTION FOR BODY WEIGHT AT EIGHT WEEKS OF AGE FROM TWO COMMERCIAL PARENTAL GENOTYPES REARED ON SIX DIETARY TREATMENTS

Abstract

Two tests were conducted to evaluate parental effects on broiler performance involving two genotypes. The effects of a single generation of divergent sire selection for 8-wk body weight and the effects of different rearing period dietary treatments were investigated. Data from these tests support the contention that a practical gain in broiler performance may be expected from a single generation of divergent selection of parental sires for 8-wk body weight. The results also provide evidence that despite a wide variation in the methods of feeding parental stocks during the rearing period there was no significant effect on broiler performance.