Associations of egg production with the major histocompatibility complex in broiler breeder hens

This study documents effects of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on reproductive traits in a flock of Cobb X Cobb broiler breeder hens. The objective was to determine if the MHC affects reproduction of non-congenic broiler breeder hens. Genomic DNA was isolated from 35 hens. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed on each sample, using a chicken class II MHC probe (Xu et al. 1989). Restriction endonuclease digestion using PvuII resulted in polymorphisms in all birds. Five polymorphic bands were identified. The largest bands, 7.5 kb and 5.4 kb, were present in one and four hens respectively. The 4.25 kb and 3.4 kb bands were present in 34 and 35 of the hens. The fifth band, 2.4 kb, was observed in only 13 of the animals. Five putative genotypes were observed, based on the combination of RFLP pattern observed. The two most frequent putative genotypes differed only in the absence (A, n = 17) or presence (B; n = 13) of the fifth band. Egg production records for these two groups were subjected to statistical analyses. Total eggs produced and number of eggs produced during a 45-week fertility study were both significantly higher for hens with genotype A. Hens with genotype B had longer pauses between ovipositions. This study provides evidence, in a non-congenic population of broiler breeder hens, that there are associations of egg production with the MHC.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal and Nutritional Sciences

Year dc:date.available

1999

Author dc:creator

• Tarleton, Becky Jean

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert A. Dailey.

• Animal sciences
• Animal Physiology

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/992

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1995