Abstract

This research was conducted to estimate the heritability coefficients for meat quality traits in a male broiler line. The traits analysed were: pH at 15 minutes, 6 hours and 24 hours after slaughter (pH15 min, pH6 and pH24, respectively); colour parameters L*, a* and b*, at 24 hours after slaughter; weep, drip and shrink losses of the meat (WL, DL, SL, respectively), and shear force of meat (SF). The estimates were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood (REML), with a numerator relationship matrix of 107,154 animals. Heritability estimates varied between 0.120.04, for WL, and 0.370.06, for pH24. A great part of traits analysed seem to be able to respond to selection, at variable intensities.

L. G Gaya, Jose Bento Ster Ferraz, Júlio Cesar de C Balieiro, Elisangela C Mattos, A. MMA Costa, Michelan T. Filho, A. M Felicio, A. F Rosa, Gerson Barreto Mourão, Joanir P Eler, M. EB Silva, L. Queiroz, A. LM Afaz, N. M Longo, B. R Garavazo, S. H Nakashima

Proceedings of the World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Volume , , 07.20, 2006