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Behavioural and physiological fear responses in ducks: genetic cross effects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2008

I. Arnaud ,
S. Mignon-Grasteau ,
C. Larzul ,
G. Guy ,
J.-M. Faure  and
D. Guémené
I. Arnaud
Affiliation:
INRA, UR83, 37380 Nouzilly, France SYSAAF, UR83, 37380 Nouzilly, France
S. Mignon-Grasteau
Affiliation:
INRA, UR83, 37380 Nouzilly, France
C. Larzul
Affiliation:
INRA, UR337, 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
G. Guy
Affiliation:
INRA, UE89, 40280 Benquet, France
J.-M. Faure
Affiliation:
INRA, UR83, 37380 Nouzilly, France
D. Guémené*
Affiliation:
INRA, UR83, 37380 Nouzilly, France
*
E-mail: guemene@tours.inra.fr
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Abstract

Mule duck, a cross between a Muscovy drake and a Pekin female, is reported by the farmers to frequently express fear behaviours, such as man avoidance. The genetic basis of fear responses in mule ducks was therefore investigated in this study. According to a previous experiment, the dominant effect of Pekin genotype was hypothesised; however, due to the absence of birds from the reciprocal cross, a superiority of the Pekin in additive effect could not be distinguished from a direct maternal additive effect. In order to clarify this, ducks from the mule genotype, the two parental genotypes (Pekin and Muscovy) and the reciprocal intercross (hinny) underwent a set of physiological and individual behavioural tests of fear. Both parental genotypes were highly fearful but exhibited responses of different patterns: Pekin ducks manifested a higher locomotor activity, whereas the Muscovy ducks showed a higher avoidance to man. Hybrids expressed higher panic responses and specific fear of man than the two parent breeds. Both hybrids expressed similar patterns and the maternal effects were not significant. Significant heterosis effects were found for most of the behavioural responses, in agreement with the fact that higher fear responses were expressed by the hybrids compared to the parental genotypes. A significant heterosis effect was also found for basal adrenal activity; hybrids having higher basal level than parental genotypes. Maximum capacity of adrenal response appeared to be determined by direct additive effects with a superiority of the Pekin genotype.

Keywords

behaviourcorticosteroneduckfeargenetic cross effects
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 10 , October 2008 , pp. 1518 - 1525
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

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