Determination of the best model for estimating heritability of economic traits and their genetic and phenotypic trends in Iranian native fowl

Abstract. The objective of the present study was to estimate the heritability and to assess the existence of maternal effects for economic traits in Iranian native fowl. Variance components were estimated for body weight at hatch (BW₀), 8 (BW₈) and 12 (BW₁₂) weeks of age, age at sexual maturity and weight at sexual maturity, egg number and average egg weight at 28th, 30th and 32nd weeks using restricted maximum likelihood method and six animal models. The best model was determined using the Akaike information criterion for each trait. For age at sexual maturity, the basic model consisting of direct genetic effects was superior. For weight at sexual maturity and egg number, a model consisting of maternal permanent environmental effects in addition to direct genetic effects was the best. For average egg weight at 28th, 30th and 32nd weeks, the model with direct and maternal genetic effects assuming no covariance between them was the best. For BW₀, BW₈ and BW₁₂, the model including maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects in addition to direct genetic effects was the most appropriate. The estimates of direct heritability ranged from 0.05 (BW₀) to 0.35 (weight at sexual maturity). Direct genetic variance and heritability were overestimated if maternal effects were ignored in the statistical model for all traits except ASM. The results indicated that the evaluation of direct and maternal genetic and phenotypic trends based on the best model for each trait was carried out. Maternal genetic trends for BW₀, BW₈, BW₁₂ and average egg weight at 28th, 30th and 32nd weeks were significantly positive. Present results indicated favourable effects of the performed breeding program for all traits except BW₀, during generations.