title: Genetic parameters of feed efficiency traits in laying period of chickens.
abstract: Laying records on 1,534 F2 hens, derived from a reciprocal cross between White Leghorns and Dongxiang blue-shelled chickens, were used to estimate genetic parameters for residual feed intake (RFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), daily feed intake (FI), metabolic BW (MBW), BW gain (BWG), and daily egg mass (EM) at 37 to 40 (T1) and 57 to 60 wk age (T2), respectively. Genetic analysis was subsequently conducted with the AI-REML method using an animal model. Estimates for heritability of RFI, FCR, and FI were 0.21, 0.19, and 0.20 in T1, and 0.29, 0.13, and 0.26 in T2, respectively. In T1 and T2, RFI showed high and positive genetic correlations with FCR (0.51, 0.43) and FI (0.72, 0.84), whereas the genetic correlation between FI and FCR was very low (-0.09, 0.11). Genetically, negative correlations were found between RFI and its component traits (-0.01 to -0.47). In addition, high genetic correlations, from 0.76 to 0.94, were observed between T1 and T2 for RFI, FCR, and FI, suggesting that feed efficiency traits in the 2 stages had a similar genetic background. The results indicate that selection for low RFI could reduce FI without significant changes in EM, while selection on FCR will increase EM. The present study lays the foundation for genetic improvement of feed efficiency during the laying period of chickens.
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Jingwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China.
authors.forename: Taocun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Sirui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Lujiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China.
authors.forename: Manman
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science, Yangzhou 225125, China.
authors.forename: Kehua
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding and MOA Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China nyang@cau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D010641:Phenotype; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: REML; chicken; feed efficiency; genetic parameter; laying period