Abstract
Percent shell and plasma concentrations of calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphate, sodium, and potassium were measured in Single Comb White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, and brown-feathered lines of chickens selected for thick (TK) or thin (TN) egg shell production. Two consecutive generations of TK and TN lines were evaluated for all three strains. Family selection for shell quality characteristics resulted in coselection for plasma calcium concentrations. For the TK lines that had significantly higher percent shell values than the TN lines, mean plasma calcium concentrations in the TK lines exceeded mean plasma calcium concentrations of the TN lines. However, total plasma calcium was found to be an inconsistent index of shell quality for individual hens. Strong positive correlations between total plasma calcium and plasma inorganic phosphate concentrations indicate that these two parameters were coregulated in all experimental groups. Apparently, genetic elements involved in determining shell quality characteristics are, directly or indirectly, determinants of plasma calcium and inorganic phosphate concentrations. Plasma magnesium, sodium, and potassium concentrations were not correlated with percent shell.
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