FEATHER PECKING BEHAVIOR IN WHITE LEGHORNS, A GENETIC-STUDY

1. Genetic variables of feather pecking (FP) behaviour in a 1993 comme rcial pure line of White Leghorns were estimated at the age of 6, 38 a nd 69 weeks. 2. Heritability estimates of performing FP were 0.05 +/- 0.06, 0.14 +/- 0.07 and 0.38** +/- 0.12 for 6, 38 and 69 weeks respec tively for sum of pecks (PECKS) and 0.13 +/- 0.07, 0.13* +/- 0.07 and 0.35* +/- 0.12 for sum of bouts (BOUTS). 3. Heritability estimates o f receiving FP were not significantly different from 0 except at 6 wee ks (0.15 +/- 0.07 and the average of the 3 age classes (AVG) (0.22** +/- 0.09) for PECKS and at 6 week (0.15 +/- 0.07) using BOUTS. 4. Gen etic correlations of performing FP among age classes were in general h igh and significant. This was not the case with receiving FP. 5. Pluma ge cover at 51 weeks had a negative genetic correlation with performin g FP at 69 weeks and AVG, but not with receiving FP. No phenotypic cor relations were significant between plumage and FP. 6. Body weight at 5 1 weeks had a negative genetic correlation with performing FP at AVG. 7. Heritability estimates for performing and receiving FP at 6 weeks c orrespond to those in the literature. No estimates have previously bee n reported on feather pecking at 38 weeks or 69 weeks. 8. Selection of birds with no or a very low tendency to perform feather pecking shoul d, on the basis of our results, be feasible.