Genetic parameters of the thick-to-thin albumen ratio and egg compositional traits in layer-type chickens

ABSTRACT

1. Generating a robust egg albumen is one of the major factors contributing to interior egg quality owing to its nutritive value and superior appearance. However, the genetic factors regulating the proportion of thick albumen are poorly understood.

2. In this study, 1330 eggs were collected from 450 Rhode Island White layers, aged 40 weeks, to measure egg compositional traits for three successive days. The restricted maximum likelihood method was applied to estimate genetic parameters for the thick-to-thin albumen ratio and other egg compositional traits. A univariate animal model was fitted to calculate heritability for each trait.

3. The heritabilities of egg weight, yolk weight, albumen height, Haugh units, percentages of yolk, thick albumen, thin albumen and the thick-to-thin albumen ratio were 0.32, 0.34, 0.28, 0.47, 0.61, 0.39, 0.31, and 0.45, respectively. The percentage of thick albumen was negatively correlated genetically with all traits, and percentage of thin albumen was negatively correlated genetically with all traits except for Haugh units. The thick-to-thin albumen ratio was positively correlated genetically with egg weight, albumen height and Haugh units, with correlations ranging from 0.21 to 0.54.

4. The results indicated that the percentage of thick albumen and the thick-to-thin albumen ratio were found to be moderately to highly heritable, and selection for the thick-to-thin albumen ratio could be conducive to the improvement of egg albumen quality.     

Reduced-rank estimation of genetic parameters for egg production traits and cluster analyses with predicted breeding values

The aims of this study were to compare the suitability of the multi-trait (MUT) model to estimate genetic parameters with that of 13 reduced-rank principal component models (PC1 to PC13), and then to explore the additive genetic patterns of the breeding values obtained from these using clustering analyses of egg production traits. A total of 1,212 records were used to estimate genetic parameters using the MUT and PC models. The PC4 model was the best representation of the data since it had a lower AIC value and was more parsimonious than the MUT model. The estimated heritability of the age at the first egg (AFE) trait from this model was 0.28?±?0.06, and the estimated genetic correlation between AFE and total egg production (TP) was ?0.52?±?0.23. Potentially animals from cluster 2 are more likely to be in the selected group to help improve the egg production.     

Multivariate analyses of carcass traits for Angus cattle fitting reduced rank and factor analytic models

Summary Multivariate analyses of carcass traits for Angus cattle, consisting of six traits recorded on the carcass and eight auxiliary traits measured by ultrasound scanning of live animals, are reported. Analyses were carried out by restricted maximum likelihood, fitting a number of reduced rank and factor analytic models for the genetic covariance matrix. Estimates of eigenvalues and eigenvectors for different orders of fit are contrasted and implications for the estimates of genetic variances and correlations are examined. Results indicate that at most eight principal components (PCs) are required to model the genetic covariance structure among the 14 traits. Selection index calculations suggest that the first seven of these PCs are sufficient to obtain estimates of breeding values for the carcass traits without loss in the expected accuracy of evaluation. This implied that the number of effects fitted in genetic evaluation for carcass traits can be halved by estimating breeding values for the leading PCs directly.     

Genetic analyses of elbow and hip dysplasia in the German shepherd dog

Results from radiographic screening for canine hip dysplasia (CHD) and elbow dysplasia (CED) of 48 367 German shepherd dogs born in 2001–07 were used for the population genetic analyses. Available information included CHD scores for 47 730 dogs, CED scores for 28 011 dogs and detailed veterinary diagnoses of primary ED lesions for a subsample of 18 899 dogs. Quasi‐continuous traits were CHD, CED and cases of CED without radiographically visible primary lesion (CED‐ARTH). Binary coding was used for fragmented medial coronoid process of the ulna (FCP), borderline findings and mild to severe signs of dysplasia in hip and elbow joints. Genetic parameters were estimated in univariate threshold and multivariate linear and mixed linear‐threshold models using Gibbs sampling. Correlations between univariately predicted breeding values (BV) indicated genetic differences between borderline and affected disease status for both CHD (r_BV = 0.5) and CED (r_BV = 0.3). Multivariate genetic analyses with separate consideration of borderline findings revealed moderate heritabilities of 0.2–0.3 for the quasi‐continuous traits with positive additive genetic correlation of 0.3 between CHD and both CED and CED‐ARTH. For FCP, heritability of 0.6 and additive genetic correlations of +0.1 to CHD and ?0.1 to CED‐ARTH were estimated. Results supported the relevant genetic determination of CHD and CED, argued for both diseases against interpretation of borderline findings as healthy and implied genetic heterogeneity of CED. Accordingly, future breeding strategies to reduce the prevalences of CHD and CED in the German shepherd dog should be most efficient when based on BV from multivariate genetic evaluation for CHD, CED‐ARTH and FCP with use of the whole scale of categories for classification of CHD and CED.     

Genetic analyses of hunting traits in leashed and non-leashed test systems in Norwegian Elkhound

ABSTRACT

Norwegian Elkhound Grey is used for both leashed and non-leashed tracking. This study provides influence of fixed effects and estimates of genetic parameters of traits related to both types of tracks. In total, 5393 records from 1991 animals tested in the years 1995–2014 on lashed performance (5 traits), and 5405 records from 2070 animals tested in the years 2005–2014 on non-leashed performance (10 traits) were included in the dataset. The pedigree file contained 8623 animals. Heritabilities were generally low for the non-leashed traits and a bit higher for the leashed traits. Genetic correlations within trait group were very highly positive for the leashed dog traits, but variable among some traits in the non-leashed group. Genetic correlations between performance traits in the two groups were generally negative and unfavourable. Genetic trends were generally positive for the time periods.     

黄羽肉鸡IMF选择与遗传参数估计

利用家系选择的方法，对黄羽肉鸡90日龄胸肌肌内脂肪含量（IMF）进行了4个世代的选择；采用动物模型（样本数N=632～1084）和MTDFREML软件对部分肉质性状进行了遗传力（h^2）和遗传相关（r）估计。试验结果表明：经过4个世代的选择，G4代比G0代IMF含量提高了17．8％（P〈0．01），变异系数由29．59％降低到21．72％。胸肌IMF含量的估计遗传力h^2=0．220，4个世代的平均实现遗传力h^2=0．322，初步说明IMF含量为中等遗传力性状，可以通过选择提高。腹脂重、腹脂率、脂带宽、皮脂厚、冠高、冠厚、90日龄体重等性状的遗传力在0．08～0．54范围内，胸肌IMF、腿肌IMF与腹脂重等性状间呈遗传正相关。     

Genetic variation in litter size and kit survival of mink (Neovison vison)

The aims of this study are to estimate variance components of litter size and kit survival rate and estimate genetic correlations of litter size and kit survival rate with dam's juvenile body weight and pregnancy length. Variance components for litter size and kit survival were analysed using an AI-REML approach, based on data from 1940 litters of the black colour type mink from 1996 to 2001. The models included (i) additive genetic effect of dam; (ii) dam and sire genetic effects; (iii) additive genetic effect of dam in relation to litter size and dam and sire genetic effects in relation to survival rate; (iv) additive genetic effect of dam to estimate the correlations of litter size or kit survival with dam juvenile body weight and pregnancy length on yearling dams (1357 litters). The dam heritabilities were of litter size (0.02-0.08) and survival rate (0.05-0.10). The permanent effects of dam were important for litter size (0.15-0.19) but not for survival rate. A positive dam genetic correlation between litter size and survival rate was found at 1 week postpartum (0.42), and a positive sire genetic correlation between number of weaned kits and survival rate at the age of 6 month (0.72). Litter size and survival rate were genetically antagonistically related to dam's juvenile body weight (-0.34 to -0.53). These results indicate the following: (i) it is possible to improve litter size and kit survival by selection, (ii) effective improvement of kit survival rate in the suckling period requires selection for maternal effect on kit survival and kit's own capacity to survive and later in the growth period for kit's own ability to survive and (iii) antagonistic genetic correlation of dam juvenile body weight with litter size and survival rate should be taken into consideration in mink breeding programs.