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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Analysing egg and weight traits together may provide a new procedure to express the maternal effects in poultry. Maternal effects in poultry are atypical from those of mammals as any maternal effects on chicks, incubated artificially, must be the residual effect of dam reflected in egg characteristics at laying. Possible relationships between W (weekly body weight) and reproduction, including the existence of maternal effects, might be used to improve both meat and egg production. The aims of this study were to analyse the genetic parameters of liveweights and egg traits, and their relationship with maternal effects for a one-to-one sire and dam pedigree recorded and artificially incubated Japanese quail population.