Formation of base populations of meat-type chickens. I. Evaluation of commercial strains

Abstract

This study was carried out at the National Swine and Poultry Research Center (CNPSA-EMBRAPA), in Brazil, with the objective of testing four commercial strains of meat-type chickens in a diallel cross in order to form a base population of meat-type chicken. There were four male lines and four female lines, identified by L (L1, L2, L3 e L4) and P (P1, P2, P3 e P4), respectively. The basic genetic material was evaluated in comparison to two commercial lines, not included in the crosses, according to the average weight at 28 days and 49 days of age, feed conversion from 1 to 28 days and from 1 to 49 days of age, and mortality rate from 1 to 49 days of age. The preliminar evaluation of commercial lines on the basis of growth characteristics of broiler, indicated satisfactory results to create the base populations of male and female lines through diallel crosses, male and female line, weight.