Co-Authors:
Haberfeld, A., Department of Poultry Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Dunnington, E.A., Dept. of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytech. Inst. State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061-0306, United States
Siegel, P.B., Dept. of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytech. Inst. State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061-0306, United States
Hillel, J., Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 76100, Israel
Abstract:
Enhancement of performance in traits of economic importance by use of heterosis (hybrid vigor) is routine in poultry breeding. There is, however, no reliable method to predict the level of heterosis that will occur from the mating of individuals from two populations. DNA fingerprints (DFP) were used as a measure of genetic distance between mating pairs of chickens where each individual of a pair was from a different population; the association between that genetic distance and levels of heterosis in the offspring of those pairs was assessed for juvenile BW and for age at production of first egg. There was an inverse relationship between DFP bandsharing level of parents and heterosis in their offspring, suggesting that DFP may be useful in predicting heterosis.