Skin breaking strength in chickens: comparisons among genetic combinations

Skin breaking strength was measured in lines of chickens divergently selected for high (H) and low (L) juvenile body weight, their F1 reciprocal crosses (HL and LH), and an F2 generation derived from HL X HL matings. In both lines, skin covering the breast had higher breaking strength than that covering the thigh. Skin of chicks from the LL line had the lowest breaking strength, that from HH and LH matings the greatest, and that from HL and F2 matings was intermediate. Percentage heterosis for breaking strength was significantly positive while percentage recombination was not significant.