Evaluation of Welfare Traits in Hybrids Obtained from Reciprocal Crosses between Anadolu-T and Commercial Broiler Parent Stocks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i7.2025-2038.8978Keywords:
Anadolu-T broiler, Commercial broiler, Reciprocal crossbreeding, Developmental stability, Fluctuating asymmetryAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of genotype, sex, and their interaction on welfare-related traits, morphological characteristics, and developmental stability in reciprocal crosses between Anadolu-T and commercial broiler parent stocks at 3 and 6 weeks of age. Welfare indicators, including tonic immobility (TI) and rectal temperature (RT), were largely unaffected by genotype and genotype × sex interactions at both ages (P > 0.05). At 3 weeks, males exhibited slightly higher rectal temperatures than females (41.67 vs. 41.54°C; P = 0.024), whereas no sex effect was detected at 6 weeks (P > 0.05), indicating that early physiological welfare traits were relatively stable across genotypes. Morphological traits were significantly affected by sex at both ages (P < 0.01). Although genotype had no effect at 3 weeks, significant differences emerged at 6 weeks, with the CA genotype showing the greatest comb length (42.47 mm), comb width (15.35 mm), and beak length (18.56 mm) compared with 38.88–40.01 mm, 12.97–14.23 mm, and 17.84–17.97 mm, respectively (P = 0.002, 0.006, and 0.012). Developmental instability was generally low and unaffected by genotype at 3 weeks (P > 0.05). By 6 weeks, however, genotype significantly influenced FA and RA for wattle length (FA: 1.71–3.18; RA: 1.98–3.50; P = 0.001), while sex and genotype × sex interactions significantly affected several head asymmetry traits, including wattle width, eye width, nose length, and facial width (P < 0.05). Overall, early-stage traits remained relatively stable, whereas age-dependent increases in morphological differentiation and developmental instability highlighted the growing influence of genotype, sex, and their interaction during later growth.
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