Ghrelin (GHRL) Gene Polymorphism and its Association with Growth and Body Size Parameters in Three Nigerian Chicken Breeds

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify ghrelin (GHRL) gene polymorphism within exons 2 and 3 in three chicken breeds and to determine its association with growth and linear body measurements. Three hundred one-day-old chicks comprising 100 each of three chicken breeds (FUNAAB Alpha, Noiler and Shika Brown) were used for the research and were raised for eighteen weeks. Fifty birds per breed were sampled for blood collection and Genomic DNA was extracted using Zymo miniprep kit. DNA was amplified and PCR products digested with Eco72I restriction enzyme. Growth data were analysed using Generalized Linear Model of SAS. Noiler had the highest (P <0.05) growth traits from 10 to 18 weeks among studied breeds. GHRL gene polymorphism had no significant (P >0.05) effect on growth traits. However, interaction between GHRL gene polymorphism and chicken breeds revealed that Noiler chickens AA and AB had the best (P <0.05) productive performance from 2 to 18 weeks.