Investigation of Egg Weight, Ovarian Follicles Morphology and Growth Differentiation Factor 9 mRNA Expression in Potchefstroom Koekoek Chicken Breed

The growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) gene plays a vital role in the and maturation of ovarian follicles laying hens. However, its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels preovulatory indigenous chickens remain poorly understood. study aimed to identify association between egg weight quality traits, morphology, mRNA GDF9 pre-ovulatory South African Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken breed. correlation results showed that (EW) had positively high significant (p<0.01) with width (EWD), yolk (YW), shell surface area (SSA), albumen (AW), ratio (AR) volume (EV), positive (p<0.05) length (EL). Student’s T-test revealed numbers large yellow were significantly lower than those small follicles. ANOVA findings there was difference average quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) indicated differences more abundant F1 F4 other