Estimation of the interaction of dams with hatches, sires in breed, and breed of sire for five traits in the fowl.

An experiment was designed to estimate the interaction of dams by hatches, dams by sires in the same breed, and dams by breed of sires. White Leghorn dams were mated sequentially to two White Leghorn sires and two New Hampshire sires, and two hatches were measured for each sire. Two replicates were included, each with different sires and dams. In this design, breed of sire is factorial to replicates. Sires in breed are nested in replicates and breeds of sires. Hatches are nested in replicates, breeds of sire, and sires in breeds. Dams are nested in replicates but are factorial to breeds of sires, sires in breeds, and hatches in sires in breeds, so that the interactions of the dams with these variables can be estimated. The traits observed were percent hatch of all eggs set, body weight at 8 weeks of age, age at first egg, percent production from first egg to 36 weeks of age, and egg weight at 32 weeks of age. No significant interactions were observed for any trait between dams and either breed of sire or sires in breed. The only significant interaction observed was that for dam by hatch for body weight at 8 weeks of age.