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Genetic trends of abdominal fat content in a male broiler chicken line
Leila de Genova Gaya1, Gerson Barreto Mourão1, Fernanda Marcondes de Rezende1, Elisângela Chicaroni de Mattos1, Tércio Michelan Filho2, Luís Gustavo Girardi Figueiredo1,
José Bento Sterman Ferraz1 and Joanir Pereira Eler1
1Grupo de Melhoramento Animal, Departamento de Ciências Básicas,
Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Pirassununga, SP, Brasil
2Agroceres Ross Melhoramento Genético de Aves S.A., Rio Claro, SP, Brasil
Corresponding author: L.G. Gaya
E-mail: genova@usp.br
Genet. Mol. Res. 4 (4): 760-764 (2005)
Received December 9, 2004
Accepted April 29, 2005
Published December 15, 2005

ABSTRACT. Data of chickens from a broiler-breeding program were collected and used to determine the genetic trends of absolute and relative abdominal fat content. The genetic trends were estimated by the regression of trait genetic value averages on hatch-years. Genetic values from 32,485 individuals were used for regression analysis. The genetic trend estimate for absolute abdominal fat content was +0.39 g per year, indicating that abdominal fat deposition in the analyzed line, in absolute terms, tended to increase, making the existing excess fat deposition in the broilers even worse. However, the genetic trend of relative abdominal fat content was not significant, indicating that there is no increase on abdominal fat content when it is corrected for body weight.

Key words: Abdominal fat, Animal breeding, Broilers, Genetic value, Genetic trend

 

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