Phenotypic, genetic and environmental parameters for traits related to femur bone integrity and body weight at 42 days of age in a broiler population.

Intense selection among broilers, especially for performance and carcass traits, currently favors locomotion problems and bone resistance. Conducting studies relating to development and growth of bone tissue in broilers is necessary to minimize losses. Thus, genetic parameters were estimated for a broiler population's phenotypic traits such as BW at 42 d of age (BW42), chilled femur weight (CFW) and its yield (CFY), and femur measurements: calcium, DM, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc content; breaking strength; rigidity; length; and thickness. Variance components were estimated through multitrait analyses using the restricted maximum likelihood method. The model included a fixed group effect (sex and hatch) and additive and residual genetic random effects. The heritability estimates we obtained ranged from 0.10 ± 0.05 to 0.50 ± 0.08 for chilled femur yield and BW42, respectively, and indicated that the traits can respond to the selection process, except for CFY, which presented low-magnitude heritability coefficients. Genetic correlation estimates between breaking strength, rigidity, and traits related to mineral content indicated that selection that aims to improve the breaking strength resistance of the femur is highly correlated with mineral content. Given the genetic correlation estimates between BW42 and minerals, it is suggested that in this population, selection for BW42 can be performed with greater intensity without affecting femoral integrity.

[1]  A. P. Rosa,et al.  Desempenho e rendimento de carcaça de frangos de corte alimentados com mistura de aditivos fitogênicos na dieta , 2014 .

[2]  O. Akkus,et al.  The morphological, material-level, and ash properties of turkey femurs from 3 different genetic strains during production. , 2012, Poultry science.

[3]  W. Horwitz,et al.  Official methods of analysis of AOAC International , 2010 .

[4]  P. Mente,et al.  Organic trace minerals and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol affect performance characteristics, leg abnormalities, and biomechanical properties of leg bones of turkeys. , 2009, Poultry science.

[5]  V. Christensen,et al.  Effects of incubator temperature and oxygen concentration during the plateau stage of oxygen consumption on Turkey embryo long bone development. , 2008, Poultry science.

[6]  E. A. D. Figueiredo,et al.  Estimativas de parâmetros e tendências genéticas para algumas características de importância econômica em linhagem paterna de frangos de corte sob seleção , 2008 .

[7]  Karin Meyer,et al.  WOMBAT—A tool for mixed model analyses in quantitative genetics by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) , 2007, Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B.

[8]  L. C. Vulcano,et al.  Caracterização da degeneração femoral em frangos de corte por meio da densidade mineral óssea , 2007 .

[9]  J. Dibner,et al.  Metabolic Challenges and Early Bone Development , 2007 .

[10]  E. C. Mattos,et al.  Heritability and genetic correlation estimates for performance and carcass and body composition traits in a male broiler line. , 2006, Poultry science.

[11]  R. Julian.  Production and growth related disorders and other metabolic diseases of poultry--a review. , 2005, Veterinary journal.

[12]  T. Applegate,et al.  Growth of the femur and tibia of a commercial broiler line. , 2002, Poultry science.

[13]  P. C. Pozza,et al.  Exigência de fósforo disponível para frangos de corte machos e fêmeas de 1 a 21 dias de idade , 2001 .