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Mating frequency in male chickens: long-term selection.
1Department of Poultry Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
Summary
Selective breeding over 23 generations created distinct high and low mating behavior lines in chickens (Gallus domesticus). This research highlights genetic influences on male mating frequency and behavior thresholds.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior genetics
- Avian reproductive biology
- Quantitative genetics
Background:
- Understanding the genetic basis of complex behaviors like mating is crucial in animal breeding.
- Bidirectional selection experiments are powerful tools for dissecting the genetic architecture of quantitative traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of long-term bidirectional selection on male mating behavior in chickens (Gallus domesticus).
- To determine the realized heritability of mating behavior and identify potential behavioral thresholds.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-three generations of bidirectional selection for cumulative number of completed matings (CNCMs) in male chickens.
- Analysis of mating frequency and behavior in high and low selected lines.
- Comparison of male and female mating behavior changes.
Main Results:
- Significant divergence in mating behavior between high and low lines was observed.
- The high line showed a steady increase in CNCMs with a realized heritability of 0.18±0.02.
- Selection for decreased CNCMs led to males failing to mate naturally, indicating a behavioral threshold.
- Female mating behavior remained unaffected by the selection on males.
Conclusions:
- Male mating behavior in chickens is highly heritable and responsive to artificial selection.
- A threshold exists below which natural mating behavior is suppressed, influenced by genetic selection.
- Selection for mating behavior in males does not impact female mating behavior in this experimental setup.
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