Genetic relationships between tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) incidence and carcass and tibia characteristics in a pure line of a commercial broiler stock

Genetic correlations of TD incidence with carcass and bone characteristics were estimated by studying the progeny of one paternal and two maternal pure lines of a commercial broiler stock. Heritability estimates of TD incidence were 0.43 and 0.21 from sire and animal model. Negative genetic correlations were estimated between incidence of TD and carcass characteristics. The genetic correlation between TD severity index and carcass conformation tended to be negative and moderate. This observation indicated that carcass conformation would be decreased when birds had a higher severity index of TD.