Phenotypic correlations between biologic markers and quantitative traits in F1 Nigeria local turkey
Abstract
The study was conducted using data on 210 F1 progeny consisting of 70 Poults each of three phenotypic classes (Black, White and Spotted) of the Nigerian local turkey to determine phenotypic associations between body weight (BWT), linear body measurements (quantitative traits) and biologic markers. Linear body measurements studied were body length (BDL), shank length (SHL), keel length (KLL), breast width (BW), wing length (WGL) and drumstick length (DSL). Biologic markers measured include packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), total blood protein (TBP), blood glucose (BGC) and rectal temperature (RT). The result showed significant (p<0.05, p<0.01), positive and moderate correlations between the biologic markers (PCV, WBC, RBC, Hb, BPT and BGC) and all the quantitative traits in the Black variety. The White phenotype had moderately positive and significant (p<0.05, p<0.01) correlations between the quantitative traits and PCV, WBC, Hb and BGC only. In the Spotted variety, WBC had significantly (p<0.01) positive and high associations with all the quantitative traits. The other markers (RT, PCV, RBC and Hb) however showed positively significant but moderate correlations with the quantitative traits. Generally, the positive and significant correlations indicate that increase in the biologic markers will lead to a concomitant increase in the quantitative traits and vice versa. It then implies that the quantitative traits can be genetically improved by selecting for the biologic markers studied if the latter is more difficult to measure and if environmental influence is negligible.
Keywords: Local turkey, markers, quantitative traits and phenotypic correlations
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