Heritability estimates of tibial dyschondroplasia, valgus-varus, foot-pad dermatitis and hock burn in broiler

WOS: 000263919600001This study was carried out to estimate variance components and heritability for tibial dyschondroplasia, valgus-varus deformity, hock burns and foot-pad bums. A total of 1,404 1-d old Hubbard chickens were used. Individual weekly body weights, sex and the leg disorders were recorded. At slaughter, left leg was removed from each carcass and tibia was examined for the prevalence of tibial dyschondroplasia. All statistical analyses on leg problems were carried out using binomial form of the data. Sire and error variance components were estimated using REML based on a model including sire, sex and hatch. Estimated heritabilities of leg problems were 0.21, 0.72, 0.17 and 0.34 for tibial dyschondroplasia, valgus-varus deformity, hock burns and foot-pad bums, respectively. Estimated heritabilities for leg problems show that genetic selection appears to be a most effective way of preventing non-infectious skeletal disorders as indicated by the decreased incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia in commercial strains in recent years, most probably accomplished by genetic selection.State Planning Organization (DPT)Turkiye Cumhuriyeti Kalkinma Bakanligi [2001-DPT-003]This study was supported by State Planning Organization (DPT) (Project number: 2001-DPT-003)