| bstract_nl>In this project we will divergently select chickens for either high or low levels of Natural antibodies (NAb), and study the consequences of such selection on performance (egg lay), general health including disease resistance, and behavior. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assisted selection and analysis will likely reveal candidate genomic regions that underlie these traits and their genetic relations. We expect to gain more knowledge on the role of NAb in immune mediated disease resistance, and to identify additional correlated responses to genetic selection on NAb levels. The project aims to provide the breeding industry a cheap and easy to measure selection parameter for enhanced disease resistance that can easily be incorporated in commercial poultry breeding practice. |
