Genetic diversity among selected Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) lines using RAPD markers

The intra and inter genetic polymorphisms and genetic relatedness of 12 generations selected 3 lines (HBW1, LBW, L); 7 generations selected 1 line (HBW2) and a control (C) line in Japanese quail were investigated by RAPD-PCR. Fourteen DNA samples (7 ?-7 ?) from each line were analyzed using 24 primers. One hundred ninety six polymorphic loci were amplified (150 to 2600 bp) and polymorphism rate was calculated as 99.49 %. Genotypic polymorphism rates were calculated as 63.45%, 31.47%, 42.13%, 35.53% and 36.55% in C., LBW, HBW1, HBW2 and L, respectively. Average heterozygosis within lines (H S), total heterozygosis (R T) and average Shannon index (I) values were 0.169, 0.354 and 0.528, respectively. The genetic variation was highest in C and lowest in LBW line. The genetic identity within line varied from 0.747 (C) to 0.875 (DCA) and between lines varied from 0.603 (C-L) to 0.813 (HBW1-LBW). It was found that genetically similar selection line to base ancestor (C) is HBW2 line (0.667) while farthest is L line (0.494). Thus genetic variation within line and the genetic relationships among lines could be estimated successfully using RAPD-PCR in selected Japanese quail lines. © GSP, India

Eine Bewertung der Zeitpunkte embryonaler Sterblichkeit beim Chukarhuhn (Alectoris chukar) anhand des Klassifikationsbaum-Verfahrens

Classification tree method is a potentially powerful tool to predict membership of cases in the classes of a categorical dependent variable. The use of classification tree is not widespread in the fields of agriculture. Egg weight, shell thickness, shell weight, shell ratio, egg width, egg length, egg volume, shell surface area were chosen for investigating of their influence on embryonic mortality stages in fertilized eggs of Chukar partridge. All measured and calculated egg parameters were analyzed by classification tree method in this study. According to CTM, the embryonic mortality stages were affected by egg weight (EW), egg volume (EV), blunt-edge shell thickness (BST) and average shell thickness (AST). EW appeared as root terminal node at the classification tree. Embryonic mortality stages were influenced by EV when EW was less than 22.1 g and by BST when EW was greater than 22.1 g. EEM occurred more often than MEM and LEM when EW was less than 22.1 g. However, when EW was higher than 22.1 g, LEM was higher than EEM and MEM. When EW and BST were higher than 22.1 g and 22.3 ?, respectively, LEM was about 80.0%. EEM was about 81.2% when EW was less than 22.1 g and EV was higher than 25.1. EEM and LEM occurred but MEM did not occur when AST was higher than 22.3 ?m. CTM estimated with an accuracy of 75.6% that EW, EV, BST, and AST primarily affected embryonic mortality stages. Finally, the results of this study showed that this method could be used in the fields of agriculture. © Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart

Türkiye yağlı kuyruklu koyun irklarında DNA parmak i?zinin RAPD-PCR yöntemi kullanılarak saptanması

The aim of this research was to determine the genetic structure of Turkish fat-tailed sheep breeds (Akkaraman, Güney Karamani{dotless}, Morkaraman, Dağli{dotless}ç, İvesi, Karakaş, Tuj and Norduz) using RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) markers. By using 12 RAPD primers in 125 sheep obtained 218 polymorphic loci which were determined. Average allele number (na), average effective number of allel (ne), average heterozygosity (H), average expected heterozygosity (hj) Shannon's constant (H0), polymorphic loci number (np) and polymorphic loci ratio (Ppoly) were found as 2.00, 1.6256, 0.3636, 0.1784, 0.5408, 218 and 100%, respectively. Used to determine genetic differences between sheep population; genetic diversity coefficient (HT), average heterozygosity within populations (HS) and total heterozygosity were found as 0.5117, 0.1784 and 0.3654, respectively. Genetic distance between sheep populations(D) was changed from 0.1349 to 0.5563. According to cluster analysis result, Akkaraman, Güney Karaman and Morkaraman created a cluster, Tuj breed was more close than İvesi to first cluster. Dağli{dotless}ç and Karakaş took place another cluster. Norduz breed appeared to be most distance from other sheep breeds. © Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi

Determination of calpastatin (CAST) gene polimorphism in some native sheep breeds reared in Turkey by PCR-RFLP method [Türkiye’de yetiştirilen bazı yerli koyun irklarında kalpastatin (CAST) geni polimorfizminin PCR-RFLP yöntemiyle belirlenmesi]

In this study, calpastatin (CAST) gene polimorphism was investigated in 7 native sheep breeds reared in Turkey by using PCR-RFLP method. The frequencies of M and N alleles of CAST gene in Kangal (n= 31), Awassi (n= 26), Güney Karaman (n= 23), Akkaraman (n= 21), Morkaraman (n= 34), Karayaka (n= 33), and Karakas (n= 22) sheep breeds were determined as 0.92-0.08, 0.59-0.41, 0.67-0.33, 0.69-0.31, 0.87-0.13, 0.86-0.14, 0.89-0.11 respectively. According to chi-square test, all the other populations were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, whereas Morkaraman, İvesi and Karayaka populations showed significant (P<0.05) deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the CAST gene. © Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi

The effects of thermal manipulations during early and late embryogenesis on body temperatures of Japanese quails (Coturnix Coturnix japonica)

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thermal manipulations during early embryogenesis (EE) and late embryogenesis (LE) on body temperature of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Incubation conditions from day 0 to day 17 were 37.7°C and 55% relative humidity for control group. In the thermally treated eggs during EE (EE 6, EE 7 and EE 8 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41°C and relative humidity to 65% for 3 hours (12:00-15:00) on the sixth, seventh and eighth days ofincubation. Also, in the LE stage (EL 12, EL 13 and EL 14 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41°C and relative humidity to 65% for 3 hours (12:00-15:00) on the 12th, 13th and 14th days ofincubation. Average temperature, relative humidity and total heat ofindoor air were changed from 28.71 to 30.44°C, from 45.69 to 57.15% and from 14.67 to 16.16 kcal kg dry air, respectively. Higher total heat ofindoor air in 10-11 weeks than that ofother weeks was found. Significant differences between the control (41.52± 0.26°C) and manipulation groups were found, but no significant difference between the EE (41.23 ± 0.40°C) and LE (41.26± 0.37°C) groups with respect to body temperatures. Body temperatures ofquails were measured as 41.55 ± 0.31°C, 41.56 ± 0.26°C; 41.17 ± 0.33°C and 41.07 ± 0.30°C at 10, 11, 12 and 13 weeks of age, respectively. In addition, differences among the weeks in point of body temperatures of quails were found to be significant (p <0.01). © 2012 Taylor & Francis.Firat University Scientific Research Projects Management Unit: 2009.01.0104.001This study was financially supported by the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University under the project number of 2009.01.0104.001

Growth curve analyses in poultry science

Growth is a key characteristic of animals and can be defined as any change in body size per time unit, and is influenced by genotype and environment. Mathematical functions called 'growth models' have been used to explain the growth patterns of poultry species. These semi-mechanistic growth models have a non-linear structure, sigmoid shape, and certain biologically meaningful parameters. In poultry science, Gompertz, Logistic, Richards and von Bertalanffy functions have been commonly used to model the growth patterns of birds. In this review, the studies concerned have been summarised under the titles 'determination of the best-fitting growth model', 'a comparison of the growth of poultry species or various experimental groups', and 'genetic parameter estimates for growth curve parameters'. This review discusses existing and new approaches to growth modelling