Evaluation of multitrait-multisource selection indices in Rhode Island Red

The data for the present study were obtained from the performance records of 771 pullets, progenies produced in three hatches by mating of 198 dams with 50 sires of RIR strain maintained by a commercial poultry breeding organization. Genetic and phenotypic variances and covariances of age at sexual maturity (ASM), body weights at 20 and 40-week of age (BW₂₀ and BW₄₀), egg production up to 40-weeks of age (EP) and egg weight at 35-weeks (EW) were computed from sire component of variance and covariance for constructing multitraitmultisource selection indices in various combinations. On the basis of expected response in ΔH and R_IH values, index I_MTMS1 which included information from three sources all the five traits was adjudged to be the best index. Use of index I_MTMS1 would bring expected genetic gains as −0.208 days, −16.506 g, −26.204 g, 0.250 eggs and −0.040 g for ASM, BW₂₀, BW₄₀, EP and EW, respectively which showed highest aggregate genetic gain (ΔH) of Rs. 55.464; R_IH value of 0.450 and relative efficiency of 143.020%. All the changes were in desirable direction except egg weight, which was decreased marginally in all the indices.