External body measurements of two White Leghorn strains (PL1 and PL2) were studied at 40 weeks of age. Hatch effects were significant for the various measurements. Strain PL2, which had higher production status also had higher shank length, pelvic scan and abdominal span than PL1. The sire-component heritabilities were moderate for shank and keel length (0.227±0.102 to 0.481±0.174) and low for pelvic and abdominal span (0.136±0.068 to 0.220±0.086). Dam component estimates for shank and keel length were similar to sire-components but were lower than sire component for pelvic and abdominal span. The genetic and phenotypic correlations between shank and keel length and between pelvic and abdominal span were positive. Shank length generally had positive genetic relations with various economic traits. The genetic correlation of egg number was positive with pelvic span but negative with abdominal span.
Heritability, genetic correlation, shank and keel length, pelvic and abdominal span
