CHARACTERIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTION INDICES FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF UGANDAN INDIGENOUS CHICKENS

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dc.contributor.authorBeyihayo Geoffrey Akiiki
dc.date.accessioned2026-09-30T08:10:01Z
dc.date.available2026-09-30T08:10:01Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractABSTRACT Indigenous chicken (IC) farming is constrained by their innate slow growth rate and low eg production. To date, Ugandan IC have not been appropriately characterized, and low-cost breeding tools are lacking for their genetic improvement. Therefore, this study assessed the phenotypic and genetic diversity, estimated genetic parameters, and designed selection indices for the genetic improvement of growth and egg production traits of IC. Phenotypic diversitywas assessed based on morphometric measurements of 576 IC sampled across the 9 agroecological zones of Uganda. To assess genetic diversity, whole blood was collected from the same IC for DNA extraction and subsequent genotyping based on 15 microsatellites. To estimate genetic parameters and construct selection indices, measurements of body weight, shank length and reproductive traits of hens corresponding to three consecutive generations were recorded. Phenotypically, Ugandan IC ecotypes were not unique from each other. Genetically, Ugandan IC ecotypes belong to two major population clusters and were characterized by large genetic admixture. The first cluster, population one, comprises the Teso, Nsoga, and Gisu ecotypes, while the Madi, Nganda, Nyoro, Lango, Acholi, and Ankole chickens belong to the second cluster, population two. Weight of hens at four weeks of age (W4) and weight at on-set of lay (WOL) were components of the top-ranked selection indices in the equal (w1) and broad sense heritability (wh2) weight categories. Selection index I17 = 3.25W4 – 176.59SL4 + 0.84W12 + 22.12SL12 + 0.38WOL + 21.89EW + 2.51EN, with the highest genetic advance, is recommended for genetic improvement of growth and egg production traits.Incorporating more traits in the index increases the value of genetic advance, the number of generations, and years required to achieve the breeding objectives. In conclusion, shank length at 8 and 12 weeks of age is a phenotypic marker of higher body weight at first egg and eggyield, respectively. It is recommended that genetic parameters of qualitative traits such as broodiness be estimated and consequently incorporated in the selection indices.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14270/953
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherGulu University
dc.titleCHARACTERIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTION INDICES FOR GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF UGANDAN INDIGENOUS CHICKENS

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