Selection for weight gain in mice at two ages and under ad libitum and restricted feeding

Summary Direct and correlated responses in weight gain and body weights were assessed for nine generations of within-family selection. Four selection criteria were used: gain between 28 and 38 or 48 and 58 days of age, and under two feeding regimes, i.e. ad libitum consumption or 80% of the control line. Direct responses to selection and realized heritabilities in the ad libitum lines were greater in the first period. Weight gain under ad libitum feeding at later ages appeared to have a lower genetic variability. In the restricted lines the responses and realized heritabilities were higher in the second period. Selection under restricted feeding in both periods led to animals that had lower weight gains than the control line when compared under ad libitum feeding.