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Quantitative Genetic Analysis of Traits Related to Fear and Feather Pecking in Laying Hens

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Abstract

Feather pecking is a well known problem in flocks of laying hens. It is partially controlled by genetics. Fear is frequently reported to be related with feather pecking. The present study reports the result from a quantitative genetic analysis of feather pecking and three fear test traits in laying hens. Fear was recorded by the tonic immobility test, the open field activity and the emergence box test. These were recorded at a juvenile and adult age of the hens. The heritability of feather pecking was 0.16, and in the range between 0.07 and 0.14 for the fear test traits. Genetic correlations between fear measured in the juvenile and in the adult age point to different but correlated traits. Tonic immobility measured early in life was moderately correlated with feather pecking and might be used as a breeding criterion to reduce feather pecking.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a Grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG). The manuscript benefited from the critical and helpful comments of two anonymous reviewers.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All institutional and national guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Animal Husbandry and Breeding, University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Vanessa Grams, Stefanie Bögelein, Michael A. Grashorn, Werner Bessei & Jörn Bennewitz

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  1. Vanessa Grams
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  2. Stefanie Bögelein
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  3. Michael A. Grashorn
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  4. Werner Bessei
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  5. Jörn Bennewitz
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Correspondence to Vanessa Grams.

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Edited by Stephen Maxson.

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Grams, V., Bögelein, S., Grashorn, M.A. et al. Quantitative Genetic Analysis of Traits Related to Fear and Feather Pecking in Laying Hens. Behav Genet 45, 228–235 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9695-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10519-014-9695-1

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