Blood plasma constituents in 14-week old hypertensive and hypotensive strains of turkeys

Genetic variation in total plasma and high density lipoprotein cholesterol and body weight in medium white turkeys

Plasma total cholesterol (PC) and its high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) fraction were determined in 700 16-wk-old Medium White turkeys in Generation 15 of selection for low and high semen ejaculate volumes (SEV). The birds examined were from pedigree matings involving 10 sires mated to 100 dams in each line. Mean PC and HDLC were not different between lines and between sexes within lines. Genetic parameters were estimated for PC, HDLC, and BW. Sire component heritabilities estimated based on pooled data from low and high SEV lines for PC and HDLC were -.03 and .26, respectively. Genetic correlations were .05 between PC and HDLC; .13 between PC and BW; and -.34 between HDLC and BW. It was concluded that variation in PC in 16-wk-old Medium White turkeys is largely due to environmental variation and that the genetic component is largely nonadditive. However, a moderate additive genetic component was observed for HDLC. Further, determination of total PC and HDLC at 16 wk of age does not exhibit a potential value as an indicator of future SEV potential.