Antibody response and DNA polymorphism indicators among local Saudi chicken lines and other commercial and exotic chicken lines

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess antibody response indicators against Newcastle Disease (ND) and Sheep Red Blood Cells (SRBC) in addition to DNA polymorphism using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA technique (RABD). Five hundred female chicks represented equally Hajari Saudi chicken Line, Hajar2 Saudi chicken line, Hisex commercial layers, Ross 308 broiler and Egyptian Fayoumi were used in the present study in 4 replicates per each line for the first five weeks of age. Weekly body weight, weekly ND antibody titer and SRBC antibody titer at 3, 7 and 10 day post injection were assessed. Six RAPD markers have been selected and used for genetic diversity assessment within and among lines. The results indicated comparable values of body weight, ND titer, SRBC titer between Hajari and Hajar2 lines. Whereas, there were significant diversity indicators among different lines in the different measuring points. Intra-lines gene diversity started from 0.16 for Hajar2 line and reached 0.26 for Fayoumi line. Hisex and Ross chicken samples showed comparable gene diversity. The dendrogram showed two main clusters, the first cluster included only Ross broilers, while the second cluster included the rest of chicken lines. Higher genetic similarity have been observed between Saudi chicken lines and Hisex than similarity between them and Fayoumi chicken samples. The current results indicated the antibody response diversity among the chicken lines. Intra and inter populations genetic diversities considered the first to be reported using Hajari and Hajar2 lines in the context of t he global plan of conserving animal genetic resources.