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Updated: May 5, 2026
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Body Composition and Metabolic Caging Analysis in High Fat Fed Mice
Published on: May 24, 2018
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Selection for components related to body composition in mice: direct responses
1Animal Science Department, North Carolina State University, Box 7621, 27695-7621, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Summary
Selection for fat and carcass percentages in mice revealed high heritability for both traits. Genetic correlations indicated that increasing fat percentage negatively impacts carcass percentage, offering insights for livestock breeding.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Quantitative Genetics
- Animal Breeding
Background:
- Understanding the genetic basis of body composition is crucial for livestock improvement.
- Epididymal fat pad percentage and hind carcass percentage are key indicators of fat and lean tissue deposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the heritability of epididymal fat pad percentage and hind carcass percentage in mice.
- To determine the genetic correlations between these traits and body weight.
- To evaluate the potential for simultaneous selection of fat and lean traits in animal breeding.
Main Methods:
- Replicated full-sib family selection was applied for 10 generations in mice.
- Selection targeted high or low 12-week epididymal fat pad percentage and hind carcass percentage.
- Realized heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated.
Main Results:
- Epididymal fat pad percentage showed high realized heritability (0.66±0.05).
- Hind carcass percentage exhibited moderate realized heritability (0.40±0.04).
- A significant negative genetic correlation (-0.67±0.04) was found between fat and carcass percentages.
Conclusions:
- Both fat and lean tissue percentages are highly heritable traits.
- Selection for increased fat percentage is genetically antagonistic to increased carcass percentage.
- These findings have implications for optimizing body composition in livestock through genetic selection.
