Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 September 2007
Genetic parameters of traits of interest in ducks and geese are reported. Recent achievements of research, specially to improve the Brown Tsaiya laying duck; the intergeneric crossbreeding in duck; the meat ducks Pekin and Muscovy; the goose reproduction ability; the meat and fatty liver production in geese and ducks were analysed. A linear genetic selection index based on MT-BLUP animal model of breeding values with objectives to maintain body weight, egg weight at current levels, to increase egg shell strength and egg number, used for four generations in Brown Tsaiya laying ducks was evaluated. A seven generations selection experiment was successful in increasing the duration of fertility of Brown Tsaiya female ducks by artificial insemination with pooled Muscovy semen. The genetic parameters of growth and laying traits in a selected Muscovy line in Taiwan were estimated. Favourable genetic trends for body weight at given age, without decreasing egg production, were found in this selected Muscovy line. The selection of grandparent stocks (White Tsaiya and Pekin) for white plumage mule ducks in Taiwan was efficient. The genetic parameters of laying and gosling production traits of Landaise geese and of a White plumage goose strain, bred in two systems, respectively outdoors with natural photoperiodism and in indoors with short daylight conditions were reported. The more advantageous system in selecting for laying traits in geese is discussed. Fatty liver weight was found to be highly heritable in geese and male Muscovy ducks. The genetic parameters of overfed mule duck traits were estimated in the Pekin dam population. It is concluded that future research should focus on biotechnology, quantitative trait loci detection and genome analysis.
This paper was first presented at the 7th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Montpellier, August 19-23,2002, France.