Estimating the genetic parameters for liver fat traits in broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Intensive selection of broilers for improved growth rate is known to exert a negative effect on broiler health, such as an increase in body fat (and its related diseases). Excessive fat deposition in the liver can cause fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS); in addition, traits associated with liver fat have also been associated with FLHS. This study explored the genetic relationships among liver fat-related traits. Data was collected from 462 birds derived from 16th generation Northeast Agricultural University broiler lines divergently selected for abdominal fat content. The body weight at 7 weeks of age (BW7), abdominal fat weight (AFW), abdominal fat percentage, liver fat percentage (LFP), liver weight, and liver percentage were measured. The heritability of these traits and the phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated, using the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) and Gibbs sampling 9647 Genetic parameters for liver fat traits in broilers ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (3): 9646-9654 (2015) (GS) methods. The REML and GS methods yielded similar heritability estimates for LFP (0.36 and 0.37, respectively). BW7 showed a high positive genetic correlation with AFW (r A(REML) = 0.74 and r A(GS) = 0.80), and a moderate positive genetic correlation with LFP (r A(REML) = 0.27 and r A(GS) = 0.39). Positive genetic correlations were also observed between AFW and LFP (r A(REML) = 0.35 and r A(GS) = 0.36). These results suggested that selection for growth may increase the AFW and LFP in broilers. LFP is directly related to FLHS; therefore, selection for broiler growth rate may increase the incidence of FLHS.

Whole Transcriptome Analysis Reveals a Potential Regulatory Mechanism of LncRNA-FNIP2/miR-24-3p/FNIP2 Axis in Chicken Adipogenesis

“…The liver is an important organ for the synthesis and accumulation of fat and has a regulatory role in lipid metabolism ( Ma et al, 2018 ). During the past few decades, intensive genetic selection breeding in commercial broilers has gained satisfactory achievements in increased growth rates and egg production, but also led to undesirable fat deposition ( Liang et al, 2015 ; Resnyk et al, 2017 ). Excessive fat deposition in broilers has thus become a major problem in today’s broiler industry, with the reason that it causes a reduction on the carcass yield and feed efficiency, and loss of consumers’ favor for the meat as well ( Wang et al, 2017 ).…”

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“…However, modern broiler strains often tend to have excessive abdominal fat deposit12, which needs to be controlled, since it has a negative impact on poultry production, as evidenced by the increase in feed cost during rearing, decrease in the final meat quality, and the significant economic loss to poultry-processing plants345. Due to the economic concerns and consumer aversion to excess fat deposition, excess fat control and improvement of meat quality are important topics of research for poultry scientists.…”

Osteocalcin prevents insulin resistance, hepatic inflammation and autophagy associated with high-fat diet induced fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in aged laying hens

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