Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Production, Reproduction and Growth Curve of Fars Indigenous Chicken

Iranian native chicken, included Fars indigenous chicken, is an important genetic resource due to its adaptation to stressful environmental conditions, good endurance and resistance to disease. The aim of this research was to determine the genetic infrastructure of Fars indigenous chicken using several non-linear functions. The dataset included body weight at hatch (BW1), body weight at 8th week (BW8), body weight at 12th week (BW12), weight at sexual maturity (WSM), age at sexual maturity (ASM), number of eggs in the first 12 weeks of laying period (EN), egg weight at the first day of laying (EW1), average egg weight at the 28th day of laying (EW28) and average egg weight at weeks 28, 30 and 32 of the laying period (AEW). Growth models were fitted using the NLIN procedure and WOMBAT software was used to predict variance components for the best fitted model parameters. Results suggested three-parameter models e.g. Gompertz, fitted better to the data than others. The maturity weight (A), initial weight (B) and maturity rate (K) parameters in the Gompertz model were 1996.8±6.63, 4.11±0.03 and 0.021±0.0001 respectively. The heritability of A, B and K parameters were 0.03, 0.05 and 0.12, respectively.