Genome-wide association study to identify biological and metabolic pathways associated with carcass portion weights in turkeys

The application of genetic and genomic improvement strategies in the poultry industry has been widely successful at improving meat yield and efficiency, however some challenges persist. As demand for larger and leaner birds increases, we have not fully assessed how selection for growth affects various carcass portions. The objective of this study was to conduct a genome wide association study (GWAS) and functional analysis on turkey carcass portion weights. Phenotypic data consisted of carcass portion weights (fillets, tenders, drums, thighs) obtained at processing (N = 646 - 1,478). Genotypic records were available from a proprietary 65 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip. A linear mixed model was used to estimate SNP effects and a 30-SNP sliding window approach was used. Across all traits, 14 functional candidate genes (FCGs) were identified, and these were predominately associated with protein metabolism and immune function. Interestingly, carcass portions did not share FCGs, except for the thighs and drums, which shared one functional candidate gene (PDGFB). These results add to the understanding of the genetic architecture of carcass portion weights, and this could be applied in a turkey breeding program.