Estimates of genetic parameters and predicted selection responses for growth, fat and lean traits in mice

Heritabilities (?2) and genetic correlations (rG) were estimated by regression of offspring on sire in two replicate, unselected lines of mice. Traits were associated with growth, feed efficiency, fat deposition and lean tissue. The ?2 for growth traits ranged from .34 to .42, except for 3-wk body weight, which was only .05. The ?2 for feed efficiency was .28. Ranges in ?2 were .45 to .50 for fat deposition traits and .36 to .42 for lean tissue traits. The rG involving 3-wk to 6-wk feed efficiency with hind carcass and fat measurements at 12 wk were small. Antagonisms were found between the sign of rG and the direction of usual breeding goals for pairs of traits (e.g., rG greater than 0 between fat deposition and hind carcass weight and rG less than 0 between hind carcass as a percentage of body weight and body weight). Selection indexes were developed to counteract these antagonisms. Modified selection indexes were compared where responses in individual traits rather than the aggregate breeding value were of major importance. The aggregate breeding values and selection indexes included: 1) epididymal fat pad weight and body weight, 2) hind carcass weight and body weight, or 3) all three traits. Economic weights in retrospect were calculated for the modified selection indexes. In some cases, expected correlated responses in component traits were not influenced greatly over a wide range of ratios of economic weights, but in other cases the component traits changed sharply over a narrow range of ratios.