Susceptibility to keel bone fractures in laying hens and the role of genetic variation

Candelotto, Laura; Stratmann, Ariane; Gebhardt, Sabine; Rufener, Christina Barbara; van de Braak, Teun; Toscano, Michael Jeffrey (2017). Susceptibility to keel bone fractures in laying hens and the role of genetic variation. Poultry Science, 96(10), pp. 3517-3528. Poultry Science Association 10.3382/ps/pex146

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Keel bone fractures are a well-known welfare problem in modern commercial laying hen systems. The present study sought to identify genetic variation in relation to keel bone fracture susceptibility of 4 distinct crossbred and one pure line, and by extension, possible breeding traits. Susceptibility to fractures were assessed using an ex vivo impact testing protocol in combination with a study design that min- imized environmental variation to focus on genetic differences. The 5 crossbred/pure lines differed in their susceptibility to keel bone fractures with the greatest likelihood of fracture in one of the 3 commercial lines and the lowest susceptibility to fractures in one of the experimental lines. Egg production at the hen-level did not differ between the crossbred/pure lines (P > 0.05), though an increased susceptibility to keel bone fractures was associated with thinner eggshells and reduced egg breaking strength, a pattern consistent among all tested crossbred/pure lines. Our findings suggest an association between egg quality and bone strength which appeared to be independent of crossbred/pure line. The findings indicate the benefit of the impact methodology to identify potential breed- ing characteristics to reduce incidence of keel fracture as well as the potential relationship with eggshell quality.

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