Heritabilities and genetic correlations of body weights and feather lengthin growing Muscovy selected in Taiwan

1. Heritabilities and genetic correlations in the base population of a clos ed strain of Muscovy duck, moderately selected for body weight at 10 weeks of age, have been estimated from the data of 9 successive generations for t he following traits : male and female body weight at 10 and 18 weeks of age (BW10m, BW18m, BW10f, BW18f) and length of the 8th primary feather at 10 w eeks of age (Fl10m, Fl10f). 2. Multivariate REML with an animal model was used, pooling data from the 9 generations (3283 and 3289 male and female offspring respectively). The sa me trait expressed in male and female was considered as 2 different traits. 3. The 8th primary feather was longer in females than in males by 6% to 22% at 10 weeks of age. Body weight was heavier in males than in females by 42 % to 58% at 10 weeks of age and by 57% to 75% at 18 weeks of age. 3. The heritability estimates for body weight traits showed moderate values , being a little higher for females than for males at the same age, increas ing with age from h(2)=0.24 at BW10m to h(2)=0.43 at BW18f. 4. The heritability estimates for feather length showed that a greater resp onse would be obtained in selection for male feather length (h(2)=0.37) tha n for female length (h(2)=0.14). Both have high genetic correlations with b ody weight so they could be indirectly improved. 5. Heritabilities of the difference in body weights between males and femal es at 10 weeks (h(2)=0.07) and 18 weeks of age (h(2)=0.10) were small, as w ell as for feather length (h(2)=0.10). It would probably be difficult to mo dify sexual dimorphism in body weight through selection. 6. Genetic correlations between BW10m, BW18m and BW10f, BW18f were respecti vely r(g)=0.77 and r(g)=0.80. They were larger for body weight at the same ages between males and females, r(g)=0.90 (r(g)=0.88 between Fl10m and Fl10 f). Body weight in males and females at the same age should be better consi dered as 2 different traits in a selection programme. 7. The cumulated predicted genetic gains expressed per unity of the genetic standard deviation (sigma(g)) over the 8 generations of selection were 1.3 sigma(g) and 1.4 sigma(g) respectively for the BW10m and BW10f. The predic ted correlated responses were 1.2 sigma(g) for body weights at 18 weeks of age, 0.9 sigma(g) and 0.7 sigma(g) for Fl10f and Fl10m respectively.