title: Phenotypic, genetic and environmental parameters for traits related to femur bone integrity and body weight at 42 days of age in a broiler population.
abstract: Intense selection among broilers, especially for performance and carcass traits, currently favors locomotion problems and bone resistance. Conducting studies relating to development and growth of bone tissue in broilers is necessary to minimize losses. Thus, genetic parameters were estimated for a broiler population's phenotypic traits such as BW at 42 d of age (BW42), chilled femur weight (CFW) and its yield (CFY), and femur measurements: calcium, DM, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc content; breaking strength; rigidity; length; and thickness. Variance components were estimated through multitrait analyses using the restricted maximum likelihood method. The model included a fixed group effect (sex and hatch) and additive and residual genetic random effects. The heritability estimates we obtained ranged from 0.10 ± 0.05 to 0.50 ± 0.08 for chilled femur yield and BW42, respectively, and indicated that the traits can respond to the selection process, except for CFY, which presented low-magnitude heritability coefficients. Genetic correlation estimates between breaking strength, rigidity, and traits related to mineral content indicated that selection that aims to improve the breaking strength resistance of the femur is highly correlated with mineral content. Given the genetic correlation estimates between BW42 and minerals, it is suggested that in this population, selection for BW42 can be performed with greater intensity without affecting femoral integrity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Grupioni
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: V A R
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Stafuzza
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Savegnago
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Santa Catarina, Brazil 89700-000.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Peixoto
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Suínos e Aves, Concórdia, Santa Catarina, Brazil 89700-000.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ledur
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Faculdade de Ciências Agrarias e Veterinárias (FCAV)/Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil 14884-900 danisio@fcav.unesp.br.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Munari
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000502:physiology*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012641:Selection, Genetic
keywords: body weight; femur mineral content; genetic correlation; quantitative trait; selection