Phenotypic and genetic variability of estimated growth curve parameters in mice

✍ Scribed by S. D. Kachman; R. L. Baker; D. Gianola

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 871 KB
• Volume: 76
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0040-5752
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00288846

✦ Synopsis

Data from 1,919 outbred ICR mice were used to examine the potential usefulness of growth curve parameters as selection criteria for altering the relationship between body weight and age. A logistic growth function was used to model growth through 12 weeks of age. Estimates of asymptotic weight (A), maximum growth rate (r) and age at point of inflection (t(*)) were obtained by nonlinear least-squares. A log transformation was also used to stabilize residual variance. Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated for the estimated growth curve parameters and for body weights at 2, 3, 4.5, 6, 8 and 12 weeks of age. Heritabilities of estimated growth curve parameters (obtained with and without a log transformation, respectively) were: A (0.28±0.07, 0.28±0.07), r (0.35±0.07, 0.53±0.09) and t(*) (0.41±0.08, 0.44±0.08). Estimated genetic correlations suggest that t(*) may be useful in selecting for rapid early growth without increasing mature weight.