An analysis of indirect genetic effects on adult body weight of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei at low rearing density

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to estimate the genetic parameters for the direct genetic effect (DGE) and indirect genetic effects (IGE) on adult body weight in the Pacific white shrimp. IGE is the heritable effect of an individual on the trait values of its group mates. METHODS: To examine IGE on body weight, 4725 shrimp from 105 tagged families were tested in multiple small test groups (MSTG). Each family was separated into three groups (15 shrimp per group) that were randomly assigned to 105 concrete tanks with shrimp from two other families. To estimate breeding values, one large test group (OLTG) in a 300 m(2) circular concrete tank was used for the communal rearing of 8398 individuals from 105 families. Body weight was measured after a growth-test period of more than 200 days. Variance components for body weight in the MSTG programs were estimated using an animal model excluding or including IGE whereas variance components in the OLTG programs were estimated using a conventional animal model that included only DGE. The correlation of DGE between MSTG and OLTG programs was estimated by a two-trait animal model that included or excluded IGE. RESULTS: Heritability estimates for body weight from the conventional animal model in MSTG and OLTG programs were 0.26 ± 0.13 and 0.40 ± 0.06, respectively. The log likelihood ratio test revealed significant IGE on body weight. Total heritable variance was the sum of direct genetic variance (43.5 %), direct–indirect genetic covariance (2.1 %), and indirect genetic variance (54.4 %). It represented 73 % of the phenotypic variance and was more than two-fold greater than that (32 %) obtained by using a classical heritability model for body weight. Correlations of DGE on body weight between MSTG and OLTG programs were intermediate regardless of whether IGE were included or not in the model. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that social interactions contributed to a large part of the heritable variation in body weight. Small and non-significant direct–indirect genetic correlations implied that neutral or slightly cooperative heritable interactions, rather than competition, were dominant in this population but this may be due to the low rearing density.