K. E. Nestor 1
D. O. Noble
The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
An experiment was conducted to measure the hatching times of eggs and to estimate the relationships among adult body weight (BW50), egg weight, and hatching times in six experimental lines of turkeys. Lines utilized were selected for increased 16-week body weight (F), increased shank width (FL), increased egg production (E), or were unselected randombred control lines (RBC1, RBC2, and RBC3). The base populations for the F, FL, and E lines were RBC2, F, and RBC1, respectively. The experimental turkey lines differed in hatching times, indicating genetic differences exist in hatching time. The line differences in hatching time could not be explained by line differences in egg weight. Within lines, the regression of hatching time on egg weight was positive and significantly different from zero in only three of the six lines. Overall regression of hatching time on egg weight and BW50 was positive for egg weight and negative for BW50. However, only 4% of the variation in hatching times could be explained by variation in egg weight and BW50. Within lines, the regression coefficient of hatching time on BW50 was not significantly different from zero in any line but the sign was negative in five of six lines.
1For more information, contact at The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 125 Gerlaugh Hall, 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691; 330-263-3757; fax: 330-262-3949; e-mail: nestor.1@osu.edu