Brito Nuno V, Lopes Júlio C, Ribeiro Virgínia, Dantas Rui, Leite José V
Center for Research and Development in Agrifood Systems and Sustainability-Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, 4990-706 Refoios do Lima, Portugal.
AMIBA-Associação de Criadores de Raça Bovina Barrosã, 4730-260 Vila Verde, Portugal.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Feb 14;11(2):498. doi: 10.3390/ani11020498.
Promotion of the conservation and preservation of local breed's biodiversity combined with the concept of sustainable agriculture and development of economically marginal areas are important policies to implement in modern society. The biometric characterization, contributing to maintain phenotypic traits, is a significant tool in breeding programs, which revaluate local breeds, allow the preservation of animal biodiversity and support consumer demands. This paper approaches the biometric characterization of the Portuguese poultry breeds through the study of sexual dimorphism and breed differentiation using six zoometric measures as differentiation criteria. A total of 429 fowl (66 males and 426 females) were studied and the parameters recorded were body weight, body length, chest circumference, shank length, shank diameter and wingspan. A highly sexual dimorphism was evident, in all breeds, with the "Branca" breed being the most zoometrically distant. Concerning Principal Component Analysis, the highly correlations observed between body length, wingspan and shank length, determined the generalized animal form and could be used as selection criteria for improving body size. Breeding programs aiming to preserve these local genetic resources should consider the dual purpose of these breeds: sustainability and cultural legacy, and the offer to urban consumers a source of differentiated high-quality products.
促进当地品种生物多样性的保护与可持续农业概念以及经济边缘地区的发展相结合，是现代社会需要实施的重要政策。生物特征表征有助于维持表型特征，是育种计划中的一项重要工具，可重新评估当地品种、保护动物生物多样性并满足消费者需求。本文通过使用六种动物测量方法作为区分标准，研究性别二态性和品种差异，对葡萄牙家禽品种进行生物特征表征。共研究了429只家禽（66只雄性和426只雌性），记录的参数有体重、体长、胸围、胫长、胫直径和翼展。在所有品种中都明显存在高度的性别二态性，“布兰卡”品种在动物测量方面差异最大。关于主成分分析，体长、翼展和胫长之间观察到的高度相关性决定了一般的动物形态，可作为改善体型的选择标准。旨在保护这些当地遗传资源的育种计划应考虑这些品种的双重目的：可持续性和文化遗产，并为城市消费者提供优质特色产品来源。
