Med. Weter. 80
full text
| KAMILA JANICKA, IWONA ROZEMPOLSKA-RUCIŃSKA, GRZEGORZ ZIĘBA |
| Personality profile of laying hens as a selection criterion trait |
| The aim of the study was to assess whether the personality profile of laying hens can be a selection criterion. The analyses involved two breeds: Rhode Island White (RIW) and Rhode Island Red (RIR), reared in individual cages. The behavioural profile of three generations of birds comprising 1333 RIW hens and 3180 RIR hens was determined with the use of the novel object test (NOT). The following behaviours were recorded: escape, avoidance-approach, immobility, and approach. Based on its reactions, the birds were assigned to: proactive or reactive profile groups. The genetic parameters of the behavioural profile and the phenotypic and genetic dependency between the behavioural profile and the performance traits were estimated. It was found that estimates of the heritability coefficient for the behavioural profile can be a good predictor of effective selection and modification of birds’ behaviour at the additive level. Proactive birds (intense behavioural response and being able to make decisions) seem to represent the desirable personality type in farm conditions. The genetic correlations between the personality profile and the performance traits also seem to confirm that the proactive birds should be the preferable type. |
| Keywords: behavioural profile; genetic correlations; heritability; poultry |