title: Genetic parameters for body weight, carcass chemical composition and yield in a broiler-layer cross developed for QTL mapping.
abstract: The objective of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations of body weight at 6 weeks of age (BW6), as well as final carcass yield, and moisture, protein, fat and ash contents, using data from 3,422 F2 chickens originated from reciprocal cross between a broiler and a layer line. Variance components were estimated by the REML method, using animal models for evaluating random additive genetic and fixed contemporary group (sex, hatch and genetic group) effects. The heritability estimates (h(2)) for BW6, carcass yield and percentage of carcass moisture were 0.31 ± 0.07, 0.20 ± 0.05 and 0.33 ± 0.07, respectively. The h(2) for the percentages of protein, fat and ash on a dry matter basis were 0.48 ± 0.09, 0.55 ± 0.10 and 0.36 ± 0.08, respectively. BW6 had a positive genetic correlation with fat percentage in the carcass, but a negative one with protein and ash contents. Carcass yield, thus, appears to have only low genetic association with carcass composition traits. The genetic correlations observed between traits, measured on a dry matter basis, indicated that selection for carcass protein content may favor higher ash content and a lower percentage of carcass fat.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Beatriz do Nascimento
authors.initials: Bdo N
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Salvador Boccaletti
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Rodrigo Pelicioni
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Savegnago
authors.forename: Mônica Corrêa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ledur
authors.forename: Kátia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nones
authors.forename: Claudete Hara
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Danísio Prado
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Munari