Genetic variation of neonatal stress response to reduced temperature brooding in a randombred population of chickens

Chicks from a randombred population were assessed for genetic variation in 1-day body weight and serum corticosterone under two brooding temperatures (26.7 and 32.2 C). Brooding at 26.7 C resulted in lower 1-day body weights and higher corticosterone levels. Heritability estimates (h2) for 1-day body weight were moderately high in both temperature groups but were low for gain in both temperatures. The h2 for corticosterone level from chicks brooded at 26.7 C was moderate, whereas estimates for those brooded at 32.2 were very low. Statistically significant (but low) negative phenotypic correlations were obtained for corticosterone with body weight and gain in both temperature groups. A significant negative genotypic correlation was observed between corticosterone and body weight for chicks brooded at 26.7 C but not for those brooded at 32.2 C. Corticosterone data from the highest and lowest responding sire families revealed a significant response group by temperature interaction. Chicks from the first of two additional hatches showed significant response group differences in serum corticosterone to the reduced brooding temperature. The neonatal serum corticosterone response to cold stress has a genetic basis; however, because there was a negative genotypic correlation between serum corticosterone and body weight, selection for increased corticosterone levels under reduced temperature brooding would likely result in decreased body size.