Whole genome scan for quantitative trait loci affecting body weight in chickens using a three generation design

Abstract

An experimental population containing 10 full sib families of a cross between two broiler lines was created. In this population blood samples from 20 full sib animals in generation 1 and 451 full sib animals in generation 2 were used for marker genotyping. Data on body weight at slaughter age (48 days) collected in a feed conversion experiment with 2049 individually housed grandoffspring was analysed. Large differences in mean and variance between male and female body weight were found. To account for these differences, a bivariate analysis treating body weight of males and females as separate traits was used to estimate (co)variance components and breeding values. The model accounted for systematic environmental effects and maternal effects. The estimated heritability of body weight was 0.28 in the males and 0.33 in the females and the genetic correlation between male and female body weight did not significantly deviate from unity. Estimated breeding values, fixed and maternal genetic effects were used to calculate average adjusted progeny trait values for all generation 2 animals adjusted for fixed and maternal genetic effects and for the additive genetic contribution of the other parent. Male and female progeny trait values were combined in one trait value adjusting for sex differences by standardisation for mean and variance. This average adjusted progeny trait value was used for QTL detection. To study presence of QTLs, an across family weighted regression interval mapping approach was used both in half sib as well as a full sib QTL analysis. Genotypes from 368 markers mapped on 24 autosomal linkage groups were available. The most likely position for a QTL affecting body weight was found on chromosome 1 at 240 cM with a test statistic of 2.32. Significance levels were obtained using the permutation test. The chromosomewise significance level of this QTL was 10%, whereas the genomewise significance level was 41%. New aspects of this study are: Genomewide QTL analysis in poultry, full sib analysis in an outbred population structure and correction for heterogeneous variances between sexes.