title: Genetic relationship between leg problems and bone quality traits in a random mating broiler population.
abstract: We herein report the genetic association between leg problems and bone quality traits in a random mating broiler control population. The leg problem traits were valgus (VL), varus (VR), and tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), and that of bone quality were shank weight (SW), shank length (SL), shank diameter (SDIAM), tibia weight (TW), tibia length (TL), tibia diameter (TDIAM), tibia density (TDEN), tibia breaking strength (TBS), tibia mineral density (TMD), tibia mineral content (TMC), and tibia ash content (TAC). A threshold-linear mixed model, implemented via a Bayesian approach, was employed for the joint analysis of the traits. Genetic correlations of leg problems with bone quality traits ranged from -0.06 to 0.11 suggesting that genetic relationship between leg problems and quality is weak, and management strategies could better alleviate leg problems than genetic improvement.
authors.affiliation: NutriGenomics Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: González-Cerón
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rekaya
authors.affiliation: NutriGenomics Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 saggrey@uga.edu.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Aggrey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000235:genetics*; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D002645:Chickens; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000002:abnormalities; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000235:genetics*; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: bone quality; genetic relationship; leg problem