Feed conversion ratio, residual feed intake and cholecystokinin type A receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with feed intake and average daily gain in a Chinese local chicken population

Zhenhua Yi; Xing Li; Wen Luo; Zhenqiang Xu; Congliang Ji; Yan Zhang; Qinghua Nie; Dexiang Zhang; Xiquan Zhang

doi:10.1186/s40104-018-0261-1

Feed conversion ratio, residual feed intake and cholecystokinin type A receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with feed intake and average daily gain in a Chinese local chicken population

J Anim Sci Biotechnol. 2018 Jun 14:9:50. doi: 10.1186/s40104-018-0261-1. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Zhenhua Yi^#^{1

2}, Xing Li^#^{1

2}, Wen Luo^{1

2}, Zhenqiang Xu³, Congliang Ji³, Yan Zhang³, Qinghua Nie^{1

2}, Dexiang Zhang^{1

2

3}, Xiquan Zhang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ 1Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong China.
² 2Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding and Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong China.
³ Wen's Nanfang Poultry Breeding Co. Ltd, Yunfu, 527400 Guangdong China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: The feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI) are common indexes in measuring feed efficiency for livestock. RFI is a feed intake adjusted for requirements for maintenance and production so these two traits are related. Similarly, FCR is related to feed intake and weight gain because it is their ratio. Cholecystokinin type A receptor (CCKAR) plays an important role in animal digestive process. We examined the interplay of these three parameters in a local Chinese chicken population.

Results: The feed intake (FI) and body weights (BW) of 1,841 individuals were monitored on a daily basis from 56 to 105 d of age. There was a strong correlation between RFI and average daily feed intake (ADFI) and a negative correlation between the FCR and daily gain (r_g = - 0.710). Furthermore, we identified 51 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CCKAR and 4 of these resulted in amino acid mutations. The C334A mutation was specifically associated with FI and the expected feed intake (EFI) (P < 0.01) and significantly associated with the average daily gain (ADG) (P < 0.05). G1290A was significantly associated with FI and EFI (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: FCR is apply to weight selecting, and RFI is more appropriate if the breeding focus is feed intake. And C334A and G1290A of the CCKAR gene can be deemed as candidate markers for feed intake and weight gain.

Keywords: CCKAR; Chicken; FCR; RFI; SNP.