Data collected from 1432 half-sib progeny of 40 sires belonging to growth line and 1440 half-sib progenies of 39 sires belonging to feed efficiency line used to estimate least squares means and genetic parameters for growth, feed consumption and feed efficiency traits for males and females separately. Traits studies were body weight at 5 and 8 weeks of age, weight gain during 5–8 weeks, feed consumption and feed efficiency during 5–8 weeks. Overall least squares means of body weight in males and females at 5 weeks of age were 782.20 and 675.24 gm respectively in growth line. Corresponding least squares means were 736.95 and 657.20 gm respectively in feed efficiency line. Overall least squares means of body weight at 8 weeks in males and females in the growth lines were 1764.25 gm and 1615.39 respectively. Corresponding estimates were 1712.84 and 1608.03 gm in the males and females of feed efficacy line respectively. Overall body weight gain during 5–8 weeks of age in males and females were estimated as 986.72 and 937.81 gm in the growth line and 977.05 and 950.42 gm in the feed efficiency line. The average feed consumption during 5–8 weeks in males and females were observed to be 2349.71 and 2218.74 gm in this growth line and 2249.22 and 2132.72 gm in feed etliciency line, respectively. The average feed efficiency during 5–8 weeks of age in males and females werc observed to be 2.38 and 2.36 in the growth line and 2.30 and 2.30 and 2.24 in the feed efficiency line, respectively. The heritability estimates of body weights and weight gain were medium to high. Heritability of feed consumption and feed efficiency traits were low to medium. The genetic correlations among the all traits considered under present study were highly positive.
Genetic parameters, feed efficiency, growth traits, chicken
