EFFECT OF RECIPROCAL CROSS BETWEEN ROSS 308 AND ARBOR ACRES BROILER BREEDER LINES ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF PROGENY

Abstract

There are many commercial broiler breeders used widely for produce hatching eggs to supply hatcheries within the broiler industry in Iraq, such as Hubbard, Cobb, Ross 308 and Arbor Acres. The aim of this study was evaluating the performance of broiler result from diallelcross among the parent lines of Ross 308 and Arbor Acres. The diallel crosscombinations were made between Ross 308 male line (R) or Arbor Acres male line (A) with Ross 308 female line (r) or Arbor Acres female line (a). The chicks from the four genetic groups of crosses were reared up from hatch to 35 days of age.The process was replicated for three hatches. The results showed that the cross R×a had a significant heaviest body weight (2766 g) at five weeks of measurement compared with other crosses of Ross 308 lines R×r and Arbor Acreslines A×a, which recorded 2246 and 2453 g respectively. With respect to the cross A×r had a significant heaviest body weight at five weeks measurement compared with the cross R×r, while there were no significant differences between A×r and all other crosses at five weeks measurement. Heterosis estimates for body weight recorded positive heterosis for R×a and its reciprocal cross A×r, andthe R×a cross record had higher estimations than A×r. The body weight uniformity of the R×a chicks at hatching had significantly high uniformity percentage compared with other crosses. In conclusion, the crossbreeding between Ross 308 male line and Arbor Acres female line had improved the broiler performance and can be used effectively for commercial production