Table 2

Intraclass correlations for breast muscle composition and Na, Ca, Mg and K ion concentrations of breast muscle samples and plasma for 34 genetic lines of chickens calculated over all genetic lines (tw) and within category (twb)
Trait
 Intraclass correlation1
 Category average
 SED2

tw
 twb
 Broiler
 Layer
 Traditional
Breast muscle composition g/kg
Water
 0.00
 0.00
 742
 746
 746
 2.6
Organic matter
 0.02
 0.00
 246
 240
 239
 2.6*
Inorganic matter
 0.14
 0.00
 12
 14
 15
 0.5***
Element concentration μg/mg breast muscle ash
Na
 0.39‡
 0.10
 53.3
 36.8
 38.2
 2.65***
K
 0.25†
 0.17
 245
 208
 205
 13.3**
Mg
 0.22†
 0.10
 23.9
 19.7
 20.0
 1.14***
Ca
 0.24†
 0.15
 4.08
 3.07
 3.48
 0.292**
Element concentration μg/mg breast muscle DM
Na
 0.24†
 0.11
 2.51
 2.05
 2.12
 0.116***
K
 0.08
 0.09
 11.6
 11.4
 11.2
 0.44
Mg
 0.18
 0.18
 1.14
 1.08
 1.10
 0.041
Ca
 0.09
 0.07
 0.194
 0.172
 0.185
 0.0113
Plasma ion concentration mmol/L
Na+
 0.68§
 0.28†
 149.5
 144.3
 144.1
 0.655***
K+
 0.28†
 0.04
 4.44
 3.67
 3.81
 0.129***
Mg2+
 0.26†
 0.14
 0.979
 0.963
 0.853
 0.0323***
Total Ca2+
 0.63§
 0.50‡
 3.16
 2.53
 2.56
 0.058***
Free Ca2+
 0.33‡
 0.28†
 1.89
 1.71
 1.72
 0.071*
Free/Total Ca2+
 0.34‡
 0.27†
 0.60
 0.68
 0.68
 0.029**

The means for broiler, layer and traditional lines of chickens are also presented

1Significance of between line (breed) variance component (t-test): † p < 0.05; ‡ p < 0.01; § p < 0.001

2Standard error of a difference between two category means: ** p < 0.05; *** p < 0.001

Sandercock et al. Genetics Selection Evolution 2009 41:8   doi:10.1186/1297-9686-41-8