Influence of Parent Flock Source on Poultry Performance

PARENT flock effects are determined prior to hatching and are a general type of maternal effect. The latter would consist of both genetic and environmental effects of the mother on her offspring and seems particularly important in the case of mammals. The evidence for its importance in chickens seems now well established for some traits. Burmester and Waters (1955) reported egg-borne transmission of viceral lymphomatosis does not necessarily result in a high incidence of neoplasia in the progeny. Maternally infected chicks may be a source of infection for chicks from other parents not similarly infected and, perhaps lacking in protective antibodies. Skoglund and Tomhave (1949) reported that the size of egg from which a chick hatches affects early body weight. Hazel and Lamoreux (1947) found that the egg size effect may persist to maturity. Lerner and Taylor (1943) and Lorenz and Taylor (1940) found maternal effects for egg quality, while …