Using a linear-threshold model to investigate the genetic relationship between survival and productive traits in Japanese quail

Abstract

The main goal of breeding programmes is to maximise the genetic improvement of the economic traits of farm animals. Beside the economic traits, the birds’ survival has directly influenced on the economic gain. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the genetic relationship between survival and productive traits in Japanese quail. A total of 1854 records were collected during four generations from 2017 to 2019 in Khorasan Razavi Agricultural Research and Training Centre (KRARTC). Data were used to estimate the genetic correlations among quail survival (S) with egg weight (EW) and body weight gain (BWG) traits. Linear-threshold model was used to estimate (co)variance components, and genetic parameters of traits via the Gibbs sampling method. The heritability of EW was 0.04, and the heritability estimates for survival at different ages ranged from 0.138 to 0.399 in joint analysis with EW. The highest negative genetic correlation between EW and S0–14 (i.e. survival up to 14 d) was obtained as −0.704. The highest and lowest heritability of weight gain traits for BWG0–7 and BWG7–14 were 0.583 and 0.116, respectively. The analyses of BWG traits with survival at different ages revealed that the genetic correlations ranged from 0.015 (between BWG0–7 and S0–14) to 0.638 (between BWG0–7 and S0–7). This study showed that the genetic selection for survival at different ages could be effective. On the other hand, selection for BWG0–7 could also indirectly improve the survival in quails because of the positive and high genetic correlation between BWG0–7 with S0–7. Highlights Genetic improvement of production traits in quail may lead to reduced survival in quail. Studies regarding on the survival of quail were yet not carried out. Heritability of the survival at different ages showed that genetic selection for this trait could improve the survival. Survival at different ages had a negative genetic correlation with egg weight (EW), and body weight gain (BWG) traits after 21 d of old.