Abstract: The invention provides molecular methods for predicting chickens that are more likely to have a lean phenotype, comprising detecting in samples of genetic material obtained from the chickens for the presence of paired single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the beta-defensin 9 (DEFB9) gene.

Abstract: The invention provides molecular methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype by identifying the presence of at least one polymorphism in genetic material of a chicken in the thyroid hormone repressible gene (THRG) or its 3? untranslated region (SEQ ID NO: 1) that is associated with a fat phenotype or a lean phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype. The invention further provides oligonucleotide probes and primers useful for detecting the polymorphisms associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The present invention identifies genetic markers for lean and fat phenotypes in chickens and provides methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism in THRSP? associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The invention provides molecular methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype by identifying the presence of at least one polymorphism in genetic material of a chicken in the thyroid hormone repressible gene (THRG) or its 3? untranslated region (SEQ ID NO: 1) that is associated with a fat phenotype or a lean phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype. The invention further provides oligonucleotide probes and primers useful for detecting the polymorphisms associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The invention provides molecular methods of screening chickens to determine those more likely to have a lean or fat phenotype by identifying the presence of at least one polymorphism in genetic material of a chicken in the thyroid hormone repressible gene (THRG) or its 3′ untranslated region (SEQ ID NO: 1) that is associated with a fat phenotype or a lean phenotype. The invention also provides methods of screening chickens to identify a polymorphism associated with a fat or lean phenotype. The invention further provides oligonucleotide probes and primers useful for detecting the polymorphisms associated with a fat or lean phenotype.

Abstract: The body composition of poultry is improved by a hormonal strategy that includes the step ofincreasing plasma levels of thyroid hormone to about 150-250% (normal endogeneous T.sub.3 hormone level=100%) during essentially the finishing phase (e.g., for chickens, 3 to 6 or 7 weeks-of-age) by administering (preferably orally) a metabolically-active thyroid hormone of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is O, S, or CH.sub.2.Z is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene or amino-substituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene,M.sup.+ is a physiologically acceptable cation, R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 are H or iodo, at least one of them being iodo,R.sub.3 ' and R.sub.5 ' are iodo, or hydrogen or --A--COO--M.sup.30 , where A is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene and M.sup.30 is a physiologically acceptable cation,provided, that when R.sub.3 ', R.sub.5 ', R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 are all iodo, then Z--COO-- is the residue of the anion of acetic or propionic acid.

Abstract: The body composition of poultry is improved by a hormonal strategy that includes the steps of(a) increasing plasma levels of thyroid hormone to at least about 150% (normal endogenous T.sub.3 hormone level=100%) during essentially the finishing phase (e.g., for chickens, 3 to 6 or 7 weeks-of-age) by administering (preferably orally) a metabolically-active thyroid hormone of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is O, S, or CH.sub.2. Z is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene or amino-substituted C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene,M.sup.+ is a physiologically acceptable cation,R.sub.3 and R.sub.5 are H or iodo, at least one of them being iodo,R.sub.3 ' and R.sub.5 ' are iodo, or hydrogen or --A--COO--M.sup.+, where A is C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkylene and M.sup.+ is a physiologically acceptable cation,provided, that when R.sub.3 ', R.sub.5 ', R.sub.3 and R.sub.

Abstract: The body composition of poultry is improved by a hormonal strategy that involves either:(1). increasing plasma levels of thyroid hormone by about 2- to 3-fold during the finishing phase (e.g., for chickens, 3 to 6 or 7 weeks-of-age) by providing feed containing 0.1 to 1 ppm of metabolically-active thyroid hormone of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R1 is the residue of a carboxylic acid such as an alpha-amino acid or an aliphatic carboxylic acid, e.g. L-alanine, D-alanine, acetic acid, or propionic acidR3 is iodine (I)R5 is iodine (I) or hydrogen (H)R3' is iodine (I) or the residue of an aliphatic carboxylic acid such as butyric acid, or propionic acidR5' is iodine (I) or hydrogen (H)R4' is hydroxy (OH)(2). increasing plasma levels of metabolically-active thyroid hormone by 2- to 3-fold and increasing plasma levels of growth hormone or glucagon by 2- to 10-fold for 15 to 30% of each day with any suitable method during the finishing phase of poultry growth.