Dwarfism in diverse genetic backgrounds. 4. Effects of dietary energy.

The interactions in the response of dwarf and normal genotypes to dietary energy were studied in lines of chickens divergently selected for high or low juvenile body weight. The genetic background of the dwarf genotype significantly affected body weights, egg production, and egg quality. The dietary energy levels used did not significantly affect these traits or the differences due to genetic background. Dwarf chickens were able to adapt to wide ranges of dietary energy when the diets contained sufficient crude protein.