Genetics Of Stress Hormone Concentrations In Hair Of Healthy Nursery Pigs And Their Relationship With Back Test Responses

    November 2023 in “ Journal of animal science/Journal of animal science ... and ASAS reference compendium ”
    Fazhir Kayondo, hayder al-shanoon, Yolande M. Seddon, Diane Carette, C. A. Cole, David M. Janz, Frédéric Fortin, John C. S. Harding, Michael K. Dyck, Graham Plastow, Jack C. M. Dekkers
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    TLDR Pig hair cortisol levels are inheritable and linked to stress responses, which could help select for more resilient pigs.
    The study investigated the genetic parameters of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentrations in the hair of 871 healthy nursery pigs and their genetic correlation with behavioral responses to a standard back-test. Hair samples were analyzed for hormone concentrations, and behavioral responses were measured, including vocalizations and struggles. The heritability of cortisol was found to be 0.26, while DHEA showed no heritability. Behavioral responses had higher heritability, ranging from 0.34 to 0.58. Genetic correlations among back-test responses were high, and cortisol showed low to moderate genetic correlations with these responses. The study concludes that cortisol concentration in hair is a heritable trait and is genetically correlated with stress responses, suggesting potential as an indicator for selecting disease resilience.
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