Heterosis for the productive performance in the crossing of FAGRO and Maracay hens in the initial phase of laying

Abstract

With the objective of evaluate the heterosis and the productive performance of the Venezuelan Creole hens FAGRO (n = 36), Maracay (n = 36), FAGRO x Maracay (n = 36) y Maracay x FAGRO (n = 39), carried out an experiment at the Laboratorio Sección de Aves, Facultad de Agronomía, UCV. The hens were randomly placed in cages, three hens per cages of the same breed group. They were transferred to the laying house when they reached 15 weeks of age; commercial balanced feed was supplied at rate of 100 g – 110 g per bird. Daily laying (PH), hen weight (PGPH), and egg weight at start of laying (PPH) and weekly (PGS, PHS) were recorded. Analyses of variance was performed including the effects of breed groups, and week, the theoretical and real heterosis were calculated, and the mean test were executed. The breed group effected (P<0.05) PGPH and PH, the FAGRO hens being less heavy, with higher PH FAGRO x Maracay group. All characters showed increasing behavior (P<0.05) during the weeks, without statistical effects of the breed group x week interaction. Likewise, the heterosis was not significant for any productive trait. It is concluded that it is preferable to use FAGRO roosters at the crossing; the considered Creole hens are light, with productive parameters according to Creole genotypes and they reached their laying peak prematurely.