Correlated Response in Shell and Albumen Quality in Local Chicken Strain Selected for Increasing Egg Mass

The present study was carried out during two successive generations beside base generation, to improve egg mass (EM) through selection in developed Baheij chicken strain and to study correlated response of some production traits. The results showed that: 1Egg mass means for based generation (G0), first generation (G1) and second generation (G2) were 1741.29, 1904.52 and 2157.38g for S line and 1704.72, 1779.20 and 1856.94g for C line, respectively. 2The direct responses for egg mass through the first 90 days of laying were 88.75 and 175.12g for G1 and G2, respectively. 3The overall means for fertility (F), hatchability of total eggs set (HAE) and hatchability of fertile eggs (HFE)% were 92.18, 82.25 and 90.36 % for S line and 90.23, 80.63 and 86.21% for C line, respectively. 4The pullets of the G2 were significant matured earlier than those for G0 and G1 in the S line by 2.38 and 4.75 days, respectively. 5Positive cumulative correlated responses were found with most of studied traits while they were negative for age at sexual maturity (ASM) and egg shape index ( Esh). 6Heritability estimates for ASM, body weight at sexual maturity (BWSM),egg number (EN),egg weight ( EW), albumen height (Albh) and shell with membranes thickness ( Shth) were 0.21, 0.43, 0.27, 0.49, 0.42 and 0.16 in G2, respectively. 7The genetic correlations between EM and each of F and HFE percentages were positive and low while the correlations were positive and moderate between EM and each of BWSM, EN, albumen weight (Albw), yolk weight ( Yw), shell weight (Shw) and Albh. In conclusion, dual purpose of improvement for EN and EW traits had been realized in this experiment through selection of EM, besides the improvement in EW was reflected on the improvement of egg quality and in turn the increase in hatchability percentage.