Estimation of heritability and genetic correlations of body weight in different age for three strains of Japanese quail

In this study genetic parameters of body weight were estimated for three commercial strains of Japanese quail (White, Canadian wild & Brown). Live body weight at 14, 28 and 42 days of age on approximately 900 quail of both sexes from 55 each of sires and dams in each strain were utilized to estimate genetic parameters. The chicks hatched of each sire and dam identified by the same color, and at 10 days of age they were wing-tagged with an aluminum plate. The first weighing was done at 14 days and repeated at 28 and 42 days of age. Analysis was carried out with the records on 900 quails in three strains. Data were analyzed using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with relationship matrix. The moderate to high heritability for most study traits suggested that selection to increase or decrease these traits will be successful. The genetic correlations of body weight (BW) at different ages, measurements were positive and tended to be moderate to high. These results showed that selection for weight at early ages will have a positive effect on weight at later ages.