Abstract

Objectives of the current study were to i) investigate effects of selection for bodyweight at four weeks old on bodyweight (BW) and bodyweight gain (BWG) across four generations; ii) estimate correlated response to selection for BW and BWG at different ages; and iii) document best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) of genetic trends for BW and BWG across four generations of selection. A total of 3540 chicks from 444 sires and 885 dams were used to estimate heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations for growth traits, including BW at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks, and BWG between 0 and 2, 2 and 4, 4 and 6, and 0 and 6 weeks. The selection effects, correlated responses and genetic trend for BW and BWG across generations were quantified by applying the animal model. Estimates of heritability for BW and BWG ranged from 0.22 to 0.42 and from 0.18 to 0.23, respectively. Ranges of genetic and phenotypic correlations for BW varied from 0.31 to 0.92 and 0.05 to 0.65, respectively. Moreover, estimates of genetic and phenotypic correlations for BWG at different ages were from 0.12 to 0.72 and 0.17 to 0.60, respectively. Bodyweight and BWG estimates after four generations of selection were significantly higher than those of the base generation. Moreover, contrasts of generation means were significant across the four generations. The genetic trends across the generations clarified that BLUP estimates for BW and BWG gradually increased with the advance of generations until the fourth generation.
 Keywords: best linear unbiased prediction, bodyweight, heritability, selection, genetic trend

Highlights

  • IntroductionThey play an important role in the commercial poultry industry because of their high egg and meat production (Mizutani, 2003; Boni et al, 2010)

  • Japanese quail constitute one of the most productive poultry species

  • The main objectives of the current study were to investigate the selection effects, selection correlated responses, genetic trends and BLUP estimates for BW and BWG in Japanese quail through four selected generations

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Summary

Introduction

They play an important role in the commercial poultry industry because of their high egg and meat production (Mizutani, 2003; Boni et al, 2010) They have many breeding advantages such as short generation interval, small floor space, high reproductive performance, early sexual maturity, rapid growth rate and high resistance to diseases (Baumgartner, 1994; Minvielle, 2004; Alkan et al, 2010). All these characteristics made Japanese quail an excellent model for selection programmes. Weight gain was regarded as the most important selection criterion

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