Genetic parameter estimation and molecular foundation of chicken egg-laying trait

Anqi Chen; Xiaoyu Zhao; Junhui Wen; Xiurong Zhao; Gang Wang; Xinye Zhang; Xufang Ren; Yalan Zhang; Xue Cheng; Xiaofan Yu; Xiaohan Mei; Huie Wang; Menghan Guo; Xiaoyu Jiang; Guozhen Wei; Xue Wang; Runshen Jiang; Xing Guo; Zhonghua Ning; Lujiang Qu

Poultry Science (Jun 2024)

Genetic parameter estimation and molecular foundation of chicken egg-laying trait

Anqi Chen,
Xiaoyu Zhao,
Junhui Wen,
Xiurong Zhao,
Gang Wang,
Xinye Zhang,
Xufang Ren,
Yalan Zhang,
Xue Cheng,
Xiaofan Yu,
Xiaohan Mei,
Huie Wang,
Menghan Guo,
Xiaoyu Jiang,
Guozhen Wei,
Xue Wang,
Runshen Jiang,
Xing Guo,
Zhonghua Ning,
Lujiang Qu

Affiliations

Anqi Chen: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xiaoyu Zhao: Xingrui Agricultural Stock Breeding, Baoding Hebei Province, 072550 China
Junhui Wen: Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
Xiurong Zhao: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Gang Wang: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xinye Zhang: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xufang Ren: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Yalan Zhang: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xue Cheng: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xiaofan Yu: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xiaohan Mei: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Huie Wang: Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
Menghan Guo: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Xiaoyu Jiang: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Guozhen Wei: Qingliu Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Aquatic Products Center, Sanming, China
Xue Wang: VVBK Animal Medical Diagnostic Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd, Beijing, China
Runshen Jiang: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Xing Guo: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Zhonghua Ning: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Lujiang Qu: National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Biological Resources in Tarim Basin, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 103, no. 6
p. 103627

Abstract

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ABSTRACT: The age of first egg (AFE) in chicken can affect early and even life-time egg production performance to some extent, and therefore is an important economic trait that affects production efficiency. To better understand the genetic patterns of AFE and other production traits including body weight at first egg (BWA), first egg weight (FEW), and total egg number from AFE to 58 wk of age (total-EN), we recorded the production performance of 2 widely used layer breeds, white leghorn (WL) and Rhode Island Red (RIR) and estimated genetic parameters based on pedigree and production data. The results showed that the heritability of AFE in both breeds ranged from 0.4 to 0.6, and AFE showed strong positive genetic and phenotypic correlations to BWA as well as FEW, while showing strong negative genetic and phenotypic correlations with total-EN. Furtherly, by genome-wide association analysis study (GWAS), we identified 12 and 26 significant SNPs to be related to AFE in the 2-layer breeds, respectively. A total of 18 genes were identified that could affect AFE based on the significant SNP annotations obtained, but there were no gene overlapped in the 2 breeds indicating the genetic foundation of AFE could differ from breed to breed. Our results provided a deeper understanding of genetic patterns and molecular basement of AFE in different breeds and could help in the selection of egg production traits.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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