This project started in 2008 and aimed to produce a synthetic line of
chickens under hot climate conditions in Egypt. A description of the main features of the
line Benha chickens (Line B) is carried out. It was founded in 2011 as a synthetic line
between the Egyptian Golden Montazah (50%) and the White Leghorn (50 %). The
procedure of foundation began mating Golden Montazah cocks to White Leghorn hens and
it was followed by three generations of “inter se” mating. Afterwards the line has been
selected to highly egg production and quality according to the predicted breeding values
based the BLUP procedure using animal model.
The phenotypic and productive characters for this line are recorded. The main
characteristics of this line are: Feather colors in adult chickens were mostly White (70%),
15% red golden and 15% grey, good adaptation for hot climate conditions (25-35
o
C). It has
high resistance for Pasteurellosis and Salmonella diseases, high fertility (93%) and
hatchability (86%), low mortality rate (1%) during the production period, moderate body
weight at sexual maturity (1742 g) and age at sexual maturity 159.6 d, high annual egg
production (230 egg), moderate egg weight (55 g), white egg color, egg shape index was
79.1%, high Haugh units (93.8 %), live body weight was 1970 g and 1269 g for males and
females respectively, carcass weight was 1273 g for cocks and moderate dressing
percentage (65%). Thus, the B-line has showed high productive traits under hot climate
conditions in Egypt.