A STUDY ON COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF 3 - WAY STRAIN CROSSES

A study was conducted by using 238 White Leghorn pullets of six different groups of 3-Way crosses to evaluate their production performance for certain economic traits. Significant differences were observed among the genetic groups for the characters studied viz., average age at first egg, body weight at different ages, egg-production and egg weight at 28 and 40 weeks of age. The body weight at 16 and 20 weeks of age was significantly low in K x FD cross recording 973 (g) and 1201 (g) respectively followed by K x OF cross. Age at sexual maturity was significantly more by 9–10 days in these two crosses. The egg production was found to be significantly higher at 40 and 72 weeks of age in H x OF and H x FD crosses recording 115–293 eggs and 115–281 eggs, respectively. Significantly high egg weight of 51 (g) and 54 (g) was obtained in K x OF cross at 28 and 40 weeks of age followed by other crosses. H x OF and H x FO crosses, which recorded high egg production have registered low egg weight at 28 and 40 weeks of age 48, 51; 47, 50, respectively.