Heredity of angel wing and growth performance in White Roman geese

TL;DR

This study examines how the heredity of angel wing deformity affects growth and egg production in White Roman geese.

Contribution

The study provides new estimates of liability heritability of angel wing deformity in two selectively bred lines of geese.

Findings

The heavy body weight line had a higher liability heritability of angel wing (0.39) compared to the high egg production line (0.03).

Geese with both-side angel wings were significantly heavier at 8 weeks than normal and right angel wing types in the heavy body weight line.

Selection for heavy body weight may inadvertently select for genes associated with angel wing deformity.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the liability heritability of incidence of angel wing (LHIAW) on growth and egg production performance.

A total of 1,696 geese including 990 offspring from the heavy body weight line (selecting for 6 generations) and 775 offspring from the high egg production line (selecting for 3 generations), and 69 birds of their parent group of the two lines were observed of incidence of angel wing (IAW).

In the heavy body weight line of the White Roman geese, the IAW was 54.6%. Among 294 progenies from families, the IAW was 65.6%. The estimated LHIAW for this line was 0.39. In the high egg production line of the White Roman geese, the IAW was 42.3%. Among 124 progenies from families, the IAW was 43.5%. The estimated LHIAW for this line was 0.03. The both-side angel wing type of geese was significantly heavier on body weight than those of normal wing type and right angel wing type at 8 weeks old (4.19 vs 4.07 and 4.07 kg/bird; p = 0.0116) in the heavy body weight line. The normal wing type of geese was significantly heavier on body weight than those of left angel wing type at 14 weeks old (4.86 vs 4.69 kg/bird; p = 0.0213) in the high egg production line.

The LHIAW in the heavy body weight line and the high egg production line were separately estimated as 0.39 and 0.03, respectively. The results imply that selection for heavy body weight may concomitantly select the gene of angel wings.

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