title: Genetic variation in packed cell volume associated with variations in response to cold temperature.
abstract: The heritability of packed red blood cell volume (PCV) and its correlation to gain in chicks brooded at a relatively cold (26.7 C) and a normal (32.2 C) environmental temperature were compared. The PCV of progeny from 28 sire families brooded at 26.7 C was 32.7% compared to 30.9% for progeny from the same sire families brooded at 32.2 C. The respective PCV heritabilities for the 26.7 C and 32.2 C groups were .51 and .57. There were no significant differences in gain for the groups brooded at different temperatures, and PCV was not correlated with gain.U
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male