Effects of divergent selection for incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) on purebred and crossbred performance. 1. TD incidence and calcium and phosphorus plasma concentrations

Abstract

1. The effect of divergent selection for high (H) or low (L) incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) for 7 generations on blood calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) concentrations was studied. 2. The chicks used in this experiment were obtained from diallel crosses between H and L lines to obtain HH, HL, LH, and LL lines. A random-bred control (CC) line was also used. 3. The chicks were reared under standard management conditions. Body weight and plasma Ca and P concentrations were measured at 2, 4, and 7 weeks of age. Incidence of TD was recorded at 4 and 7 weeks. 4. Although HH birds had lower body weights than the other lines, there was no significant effect attributable to line selection for body weight at 2, 4, and 7 weeks of age. 5. The LL line birds had no incidence of TD at 4 weeks of age; however, the incidence of TD in LL line birds was 5.3% at 7 weeks of age. The incidence of TD was higher in HH line birds than the other line at 4 and 7 weeks of age. 6. Plasma Ca and P concentrations and Ca:P ratios increased with age. These results showed that HH line birds had higher plasma Ca, lower plasma P and higher Ca:P ratios than birds of the LL line.