Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci Affecting Feed Efficiency in Laying Common Ducks

Abstract Text: Feed efficiency and body weight QTL in laying ducks were detected together with body weight QTL in their mule duck sons at young age, by using a design consisting in 287 back cross female ducks and 1202 mule ducks sons. The genetic map used consists of 102 microsatellite markers and 17 linkage groups. For laying ducks, QTL for feed intake and residual feed intake were detected at the 1% chromosome-wise threshold on linkage group 1, and 2 bodyweight QTL on linkage groups 2 and 3, were identified. For mule ducks, 3 QTL were also identified on linkage group 3 for bodyweight at different ages. This result suggests a QTL segregating in the common duck population impacting both weights of adult common ducks and of their young mule duck sons, but multi-trait analysis didn’t clearly confirm a pleiotropic QTL.

Keywords: QTL, feed efficiency, bodyweight, common ducks.