EFFECT OF LONG TERM SELECTION ON GENETIC PARAMETERS OF ECONOMIC TRAITS IN WHITE LEGHORN

The genetic parameters for various economic traits were estimated in a White Leghorn population selected for part period egg production over 16 generations. In early part of selection, egg number had moderate to high heritability (0.26 to 0.51) while age at sexual maturity, egg weight and body weight at 20 and 40 weeks of age had high heritability (0.54 to 0.83). The sire component heritability for all the traits except 20 week body weight declined in later periods of selection. Sex linked gene effects for egg number and age at sexual maturity were more important in early periods of selection in comparison to the later periods, while maternal effects remained important for 20 week body weight in all the periods. Egg number was negatively correlated with egg weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.36$), age at sexual maturity ($r_{G(S)}=-0.84$) and 40 week body weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.84$), while it was positively correlated with 20 week body weight ($r_{G(S)}=-0.34$) in base generation. The genetic association between egg number and 40 week body weight changed not only in magnitude but also in direction in later periods. The genetic correlation of egg number with egg weight as well as with age at sexual maturity also decreased in magnitude in later periods of selection.