van der Klein S A S, Berghof T V L, Arts J A J, Parmentier H K, van der Poel J J, Bovenhuis H
Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands.
Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands.
Poult Sci. 2015 May;94(5):875-82. doi: 10.3382/ps/pev052. Epub 2015 Mar 5.
Natural antibodies (NAb) are an important component of the first line of immune defense. Selective breeding for enhanced NAb levels in chickens may improve general disease resistance. It is unknown what the consequences of selection for NAb will be on the productive performance of laying hens. In this paper we describe the genetic relations between NAb titers binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin at 19 wk age and production traits in a white purebred leghorn chicken line observed in several time periods. A linear animal model was used to estimate (co)variance components, heritabilities, and correlations. Negative genetic correlations were found between egg weight and NAb titers, and between egg breaking strength and NAb titers. Positive genetic correlations were found between the feed conversion ratio (consumed feed/egg mass produced) and NAb titers, and egg production and NAb titers. Negative phenotypic correlations were found between body weight and NAb titers, between egg weight and NAb titers, and between egg breaking strength and NAb titers. Positive phenotypic correlations were found between egg production and NAb titers, and feed conversion ratio and NAb titers. In general, phenotypic correlations were more often significant, but less pronounced than genetic correlations. Other production traits were not found to be significant related to NAb titers. These findings suggest that there is a genetic tradeoff between levels of immunity and some production traits, although the underlying mechanism(s) remain(s) unclear. The results suggest possible consequences for production efficiency as a result of selective breeding for improved general disease resistance by natural antibodies.
天然抗体(NAb)是免疫防御第一道防线的重要组成部分。通过选择性育种提高鸡的NAb水平可能会增强其总体抗病能力。目前尚不清楚选择NAb对蛋鸡生产性能会产生何种影响。在本文中,我们描述了在几个时间段观察到的白色纯种来航鸡品系中,19周龄时结合钥孔血蓝蛋白的NAb滴度与生产性状之间的遗传关系。使用线性动物模型来估计(协)方差分量、遗传力和相关性。发现蛋重与NAb滴度之间、蛋壳强度与NAb滴度之间存在负遗传相关性。发现饲料转化率(消耗的饲料/产出的蛋重)与NAb滴度之间、产蛋量与NAb滴度之间存在正遗传相关性。发现体重与NAb滴度之间、蛋重与NAb滴度之间、蛋壳强度与NAb滴度之间存在负表型相关性。发现产蛋量与NAb滴度之间、饲料转化率与NAb滴度之间存在正表型相关性。总体而言,表型相关性更常具有显著性,但不如遗传相关性明显。未发现其他生产性状与NAb滴度有显著关联。这些发现表明,免疫力水平与某些生产性状之间存在遗传权衡,尽管其潜在机制尚不清楚。研究结果表明,通过天然抗体进行选择性育种以提高总体抗病能力可能会对生产效率产生潜在影响。