A produção de carne de frango no Brasil é um importante setor do agronegócio. O setor passou por décadas de aprimoramentos, culminando desde 2004, no mais alto posto de exportação de carne de frango e ocupando a terceira maior produção mundial. A expansão, conquista e manutenção de novos mercados está inevitavelmente relacionada com a qualidade da matéria-prima. Entre os fatores que influenciam a qualidade do produto final, encontra-se o estresse no manejo pré abate. O presente estudo objetivou estabelecer relações entre a qualidade da carne de frangos e a expressão gênica sob condições de estresse térmico. Para tal, frangos de corte de linhagens comerciais foram submetidos a estresse térmico e abatidos. A carne oriunda dessas aves teve suas propriedades funcionais mensuradas. Os genes expressos de forma diferenciada para a qualidade da carne foram identificados pelo método de arranjos de alta densidade (macroarranjos) e validados com o emprego de PCR quantitativo em tempo real. Para os parâmetros de qualidade de carne avaliados (pH, cor e capacidade de retenção de água), os animais estressados apresentaram peito mais escuro a 1 hora pós abate (valor de L* de 52,46 contra 55,00; p<0,05), menor valor de pH as 24h pós abate (5,82 contra 5,99; p<0,05) e maior capacidade de retenção de água a 1h pós abate (0,29 contra 0,22; p<0,05). O estudo de expressão gênica por macroarranjos de DNA evidenciou um total de 259 genes diferencialmente expressos entre os tratamentos. 149 desses genes apresentaram indução de expressão (p<0,05) nos animais submetidos ao estresse térmico. Alguns desses genes fazem parte da rede de proteínas responsáveis pelo metabolismo energético celular. Lactato desidrogenase A (LDHA), glicose fosfomutase e piruvato quinase são enzimas que atuam na degradação da glicose e demonstraram aumento da expressão sob condição de estresse térmico (p<0,05). Tal fato sugere que durante o estresse térmico, houve uma maior mobilização do glicogênio muscular, fornecendo maior aporte de glicose na célula muscular, acarretando em aumento da taxa glicolítica nesses animais. Outros genes tidos como induzidos pela condição de estresse térmico foram os genes de choque térmico HSP70 e 90 (p<0,05), evidenciando a atividade protetora de suas proteínas na atividade celular frente a condições de elevação da temperatura. Miostatina, Actina 3 e IGF II, proteínas envolvidas no desenvolvimento da musculatura esquelética se apresentaram igualmente elevadas pelas condições de estresse (p<0,05). 9 genes foram selecionados para validação por PCR quantitativo em tempo real. Miostatina, Lactato desidrogenase A, HSP 70 e HSP 90 foram selecionados com base nos resultados obtidos com as hibridizações. Além destes, outros 5 genes foram escolhidos com base na evidência biológica e do papel na resposta fisiológica ao estresse térmico e atividade glicolítica: Glicogênio fosforilase, citrato sintase e lactato desidrogenase B. Miostatina, HSP 70 e 90 e citrato sintase apresentaram maiores níveis de expressão nos animais estressados (p<0,05). Já Glicogênio fosforilase teve sua expressão inibida com o estresse térmico (p<0,05). Esses achados sugerem importante papel do metabolismo energético durante condições de estresse térmico, além da possível influência que a temperatura exerce no desenvolvimento da musculatura esquelética. / Brazilian broiler production yields a considerable amount of income for the nation. Brazil is currently the world&#39;s third broiler producer and the first chicken meat exporter, contributing with 41% of the whole world market. To reach new market frontiers it is inevitable the improvement of meat quality. Among the reasons that influences final products quality is the preslaughter stress. This study scoped establishing the relationships between meat quality and gene expression under thermal stressful conditions. Commercial broiler lines were submitted to high thermal stress prior to slaughter. Breast meat from these animals had their proprieties evaluated. Differentially expressed genes for stressed or non-stressed birds were investigated by macroarrays and further validated by qRT-PCR. Concerning to the meat attributes, breast meat from stressed birds was darker (L* values of 52,46 against 55,00; p<0,05), with lower pH at 24h postmortem (5,82 against 5,99; p<0,05) and had greater water holding capacity 1h after slaughter (0,29 vs. 0,22; p<0,05). Macroarray analysis revealed 259 differentially expressed genes between stressed and non-stressed control birds. From these, 149 were induced by heat stress (p<0,05). Some of these induced genes play a role in carbohydrate metabolism such as lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), glucose phosphomutase and piruvate kinase. Such enzymes acts on degradation of glucose in order to provide energy to the muscle cells which has direct effect upon meat quality processing. These findings suggest great mobilization of muscle glycogen stores, offering opportunity of a not efficient muscle-to-meat conversion. Genes that responds to heat stress damage also were induced with heat exposure. That provides a sort of heat tolerance and ensures the birds&#39; survival under heat conditions. Some muscle-related genes were also induced by heat stress. Myostatin, actin 3 and IGFII showed greater amounts of mRNA under this condition (p<0,05). Among all genes differentially expressed, 9 were picked up for further studies with qRT-PCR. Myostatin, lactate dehydrogenase A and B, HSF1, HSF3, HSP70, HSP90, glycogen phosphorylase and citrate synthase were studied and only myostatin, HSP 70 and 90 confirmed the differentially expressed patterns between treatments (p<0,05). Unlikely, glycogen phosphorylase appeared repressed in heat stressed animals (p<0,05). These findings suggest an important role of energetic metabolism of birds at hot environments.

Uma população F2 foi desenvolvida através do cruzamento entre uma linhagem de frangos de corte (TT) e uma de postura (CC). Sete machos TT foram acasalados com sete fêmeas CC para produzir uma população F1 TC. Cada macho F1 foi acasalado com três fêmeas F1 não-aparentadas para produzir aproximadamente 100 descendentes por família de irmãos completos. Neste estudo foram utilizadas as 5 famílias que apresentaram maior número de marcadores informativos nos cromossomos 1 a 5, em estudos realizados anteriormente nesta população. Foram coletados dados fenotípicos de peso ao nascer (PN), peso aos 35 (PV35) e 41 (PV41) dias de idade, ganho de peso (GP35-41), consumo de ração (CR35-41) e eficiência alimentar (EF35-41) dos 35 aos 41 dias de idade. Os indivíduos parentais e F1 foram genotipados com 35 marcadores microssatélites posicionados nos cromossomos 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 e 18. Os marcadores informativos (22) foram genotipados nos indivíduos F2 das famílias escolhidas. O cromossomo 16 não foi mapeado, pois o único marcador disponível não foi informativo. No cromossomo 17 apenas um marcador foi informativo, logo foi utilizada uma análise de marca simples para associação do marcador com as características selecionadas. O mapa de ligação de cada cromossomo foi construído e comparado ao mapa consenso. Os mapas de ligação apresentaram o mesmo ordenamento dos marcadores em relação aos mapas consenso, no entanto foram encontradas pequenas discrepâncias nas distâncias entre os marcadores A análise empregada no estudo de mapeamento de QTL por intervalo utilizou o método de regressão linear e estimação de quadrados-mínimos, utilizando o programa QTL Express, na opção análise de F2. No cromossomo 17, duas características foram associadas ao genótipo do marcador: GP35-41 (P<0,05) e EF35- 41 (P<0,01). Foram encontrados 4 QTL sugestivos no cromossomo 10: para PV35, PV41, GP35-41 e EF35-41. Houve interação do QTL com família para EF35-41. Os QTLs para PV35, PV41 e GP35-41 apresentaram efeito aditivo, apenas EF35-41 apresentou efeito de dominância. / An F2 chicken population was developed by crossing broiler line (TT) with a layer line (CC). Seven males TT were mated with seven females CC to generate an F1 population. Each male F1 was then mated with three unrelated females F1 generating approximately 100 individual per family of dam. On the present study 5 families were used, which showed the greatest number of informative markers in previews studies of chromosomes 1 to 5 of the resource population. Phenotypic dada were collected for body weight at 1 (BW1), 35 (BW35) and 41 (BW41) days of age, weight gain (WG35- 41), feed intake (FI35-41) and feed efficiency (FE35-41) from 35 to 41 days of age. The parental and F1 individuals were genotyped for 35 microsatellite markers distributed on chromosomes 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The informative markers were genotyped on the F2 from the selected families. Chromosome 16 was excluded, because the only available marker was not informative. On chromosome 17 only one marker was informative, therefore a single marker analysis was used to associate the marker with the selected characteristics. The linkage map of each chromosome was constructed and compared to the consensus map. The linkage maps showed the same marker ordering compared to the consensus map, however small discrepancy between markers distances were presented. Interval mapping using regression methods was applied to a line-cross and least square analysis, using the QTL Express program, on the F2 analyses option. On chromosome 17, two characteristics were associated to the marker genotype: WG35-41 (P<0.05) and FE35-41 (P<0.01). Suggestive QTLs were detected for BW35, BW41, WG35-41 and FE35-41 on chromosome 10. A QTL x family interaction effect was statistically significant for FE35-41. QTLs for BW35, BW41 and WG35-41 showed addictive effects, only FE35-41 showed dominance effect.

Affective states of animals are emotions with positive or negative valance. Positive and negative affective states affect animal welfare, and can bias interpretation of information positively or negatively, respectively. Judgement bias tests measure affective states based on responses to ambiguous cues, intermediate to cues with learnt positive and negative outcomes. Responses closer to those of positive cues indicate positive affective state. However, animals need extensive training to learn initial associations to reference cues. Therefore, I here aimed to validate an alternative affective state test based on instinctive avoidance of patterns resembling eyespots. Responses to ambiguous eyespot cues similar to responses to full eyespot cues could indicate negative affective state. To test this, behavioural responses of red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) chicks to ambiguous cues from a validated judgement bias test were compared to responses to cues resembling eyespots. In a second cohort of birds, I developed simplified tests with only one ambiguous cue in each tests. I predicted that responses in both tests would correlate positively. In the original tests, shorter distance and latency to approach ambiguous cues correlated positively with latency to approach one of the eyespot cues, a full eyespot cue. This pattern was only observed in females. In the simplified tests, at 4 weeks of age, shortest latency to approach cues correlated among tests. This pattern was not observed when chicks were tested at 2 weeks of age. Overall, the eyespot test is a promising alternative affective state test, but further studies exploring sex- and age-effects, are needed.

In layer hen commercial production systems, chicks are not raised by hens and do therefore not receive any maternal care. In the wild, after hatching, chicks undergo filial imprinting where they create a social bond with a stimulus in their surrounding environment, usually the mother hen. Filial imprinting behaviors remain in chicks until adulthood. This bond and maternal care influence the emotional development of chicks. Here, I aimed to investigate short- and long-term effects of filial imprinting on a model hen, on the emotional state of White Leghorn chicks, hatched at Linköping University. To measure optimism, pessimism, and fear, a judgment bias test (JBT), an open field test (OFT), and a novel object test (NOT), was performed and replicated. Before the tests, half of the chicks were imprinted on a model hen, while the other half was not given such a model to imprint on. All chicks were weighed during the entire project. The hypotheses were that the imprinted chicks would be more optimistic in the JBT, show less fearful behavior in the OFT and NOT, and weigh more compared to the non-imprinted chicks. If these results would be found, imprinting could potentially be used to reduce stress in commercially hatched chicks, and thus improve their welfare. The results were inconsistent with all three hypotheses. This indicates that imprinting on a model hen, did not have a positive impact on the chicks’ emotional state. Further studies need to be performed to find methods to improve commercially hatched chicks’ emotional welfare.

Transient Receptor Potential channels (TRP) are a superfamily of cationic specific ionchannels that are regulated by various stimuli such as temperature, pH, mechanical stress, ligandsand ion concentration. The role of TRP channels in disease states such as autosomal dominantpolycystic kidney disease, cancer metastasis, and developmental defects lend credence to thebelief that they play an important part in epithelial morphogenesis events. The development ofsomites, neural tube closure and migration of neural crest cells to form things such as the faceand heart is a good developmental model for the aforementioned cellular processes. We haveshown that TRP channels can be found in the developing ectoderm, hindbrain, and heart and thatthe inhibition of TRP channels in a developing embryo results in phenotypes suggestingperturbation of cellular remodeling processes. This leads to the question of the specific role ofTRP channels in the epithelial mesenchymal transition and remodeling in developing chickembryos.

Social dominance relationships are formed within numerous animal species and reduce costly fights over resources. Dominant individuals often enjoy greater access to important resources such as food and mating partners, and are generally more aggressive, bold, active and explorative compared to subdominant individuals. These behavioural traits can differ among individuals, but they can also be consistent within the individual, thereby describing the individual’s personality type. However, the causal direction of the observed correlation between dominance and personality is not well studied. One possibility is that some personality types have higher chances of obtaining a dominant social position. This would suggest that personality has consequences for fitness. Another possible explanation is that possessing different social positions gives rise to consistent behavioural differences among individuals on various timescales. If social status has a lasting effect on behaviour, social status would constitute a ‘stable state’ that explains some of the diversity of personality types that has been observed in a multitude of animal species. Dominance and personality may also share underlying proximate factors. In this thesis, I investigate the relationship between social dominance and personality using male domestic fowl, Gallus gallus domesticus. The species is group-living with pronounced dominance hierarchies, and dominance increases male access to mating partners. I show that some aspects of personality, exploration, vigilance and in particular aggressiveness, increased a male’s chances of obtaining dominance (paper III, IV, V), and that aggressiveness can be even more important than body weight and ornament size (comb size, paper V) or recent experience of winning or losing (paper IV). Winning a social interaction resulted in an increase in aggressiveness, while a decrease was seen in males that experienced a loss (paper IV). By observing behaviour before and after changes in male dominance relationships, I further show that a recent (2 days earlier) change in social status induced behavioural adjustments to the new social status in activity, exploration and vigilance (paper I). By extending the time of the new social relationship to 3 weeks, I show that such behavioural changes did not continue (paper II). Finally, I show that the social environment during juvenile development had little impact on adult male competitiveness (paper V). Social interactions appear to have several short-term effects on behaviour, but did not contribute significantly to variation and long-term consistency of personality in male fowl. Instead, a male's personality, and in particular his aggressiveness, affected the outcome of dominance interactions. Overall, my studies reveal important consequences of individual differences in behaviour, and contribute to the highly sought-after empirical testing of hypotheses explaining variation in animal personality. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Sexual selection acts on traits that increase the reproductive success of an individual in competition with other individuals of the same sex over reproductive opportunities, through intra-sexual competition and inter-sexual mate choice. Because males benefit more from remating than females, they are subject to more intense sexual selection. Modern genetic tools have shown that females often mate promiscuously, thus prolonging sexual selection after insemination through intra-sexual (sperm competition) and inter-sexual (cryptic female choice) episodes. Despite increasing interest in post-copulatory sexual selection, the implications of sperm competition, cryptic female choice and underpinning mechanisms remain little understood. This thesis adopts an integrated approach to quantify the relative importance of post-copulatory episodes in the operation of sexual selection, elucidate their proximate mechanisms in the red junglefowl Gallus gallus. By combining behavioural observations of replicate groups with paternity data, I show that female promiscuity decreased the total opportunity for sexual selection in a group, but accounts for an unexpectedly large proportion of the variance in male reproductive success. By comparing the operation of sexual selection on multiple male traits, I show that post-copulatory sexual selection reinforced pre-copulatory sexual selection for male social dominance and that female preferred to mate with compatible males. I used experiments to study the mechanisms of post-copulatory sexual selection by studying the effect of seminal fluid in sperm competition and cryptic female choice in relation to male status and relatedness. Following previous work indicating that seminal fluid products influence sperm quality in this species, I tested in vivo whether the seminal fluid of an ejaculate acts differentially towards sperm from the same ejaculate and rival sperm, and found no evidence for this idea. Finally, I show that cryptic female choice can drastically bias the outcome of sperm competition, and that female fowl might bias paternity toward unrelated males.

Estudar a arquitetura genética de uma dada característica quantitativa significa descrever os fatores genéticos e ambientais que a afetam, bem como o valor dos efeitos genéticos de cada loco e suas interações. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo geral estudar a arquitetura genética de características quantitativas associadas ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça de uma população experimental oriunda do cruzamento entre uma linhagem de postura (CC) e uma de corte (TT) genotipada para marcadores microssatélites que foram associados ao peso vivo aos 42 dias na população recíproca TCTC nos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4. Para tanto, foram propostos três objetivos específicos: 1) caracterizar genotipicamente as duas populações referências (TCTC e CTCT); 2) construir mapas de ligação para a população CTCT; 3) mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça na população CTCT, utilizando o Mapeamento por Intervalo Composto (CIM). Os resultados evidenciaram que as duas linhagens parentais (CC e TT) possibilitaram a criação de gerações recíprocas F1 com elevados valores do conteúdo de informação polimórfica e heterozigosidade observada, resultado do satisfatório número de alelos verificado. Isto implica que as populações recíprocas F2, derivadas de ambas as gerações F1, são apropriadas para mapear QTLs associados ao desempenho e ao rendimento de carcaça. Adicionalmente, os mapas de ligação da população CTCT são similares ao de sua população recíproca TCTC e ao Mapa Consenso da galinha doméstica. A estimação de intervalos de confiança para as distâncias entre locos permitiu melhor entendimento das diferenças obtidas tanto no tamanho dos cromossomos quanto na ordem dos locos. Finalmente, foram observadas vantagens com o uso do CIM nas estimativas de número de QTLs mapeados e em suas posições. As regiões onde os QTLs foram mapeados neste estudo corroboram algumas daquelas da população recíproca TCTC, mas por outro lado sugerem que outras regiões do genoma dos cromossomos 1, 3 e 4 podem controlar tais características. Foram definidas duas regiões ainda não descritas na literatura no cromossomo 4: uma associada ao ganho de peso (MCW0240- LEI0063) e outra ao consumo de ração (LEI0085-MCW0174) 35-41 dias. Os resultados deste estudo podem ser explorados através do mapeamento fino, buscas in silico por genes candidatos por posição e validação em populações comerciais, a fim de implementar a seleção assistida por marcadores em programas de melhoramento genético avícolas. / Understanding the genetic architecture means to describe the genetic and environment factors that affect a quantitative trait, together with the estimation of individual genetic effects and its interactions. The aim of this work was to understand the genetic architecture of quantitative traits associated with performance and carcass yield of a chicken reference population created from crosses between a layer line (CC) and a broiler line (TT) genotyped for microsatellite markers that were associated with body weight at 42 days in its reciprocal cross on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4. Three specific topics were presented: 1) to characterize genotypically two reference populations (TCTC and CTCT); 2) to construct linkage maps in the CTCT population and 3) to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield in CTCT population, using Composite Interval Mapping (CIM). The results showed that the two parental lines (CC and TT) created reciprocal F1 generations with suitable polymorphic information content values and observed heterozygosity, as result of the satisfactory number of alleles. This implies that the reciprocal F2 populations, derived from both F1 generations, are appropriated to map QTL associated with performance and carcass yield. The linkage maps from CTCT population were similar to its reciprocal population and to the Chicken Consensus Linkage Map. Estimating confidence intervals for distances between loci allowed the elucidation of the causes for differences both on chromosome sizes and on order loci. Finally, there were advantages in using CIM, mainly on QTL number and location. The regions where QTLs were mapped in this study not only corroborated some results from TCTC reciprocal population, but also suggested that other genome regions on chromosomes 1, 3 and 4 may control such traits. On chromosome 4 two regions were defined that were not previously described in the literature: one associated with weight gain (MCW0240-LEI0063) and another one with feed intake (LEI0085-MCW0174) at 35- 41 days. The results of this study can be explored through fine mapping, searches in silico for candidate genes and by validation in commercial populations, in order to implement marker assisted selection in poultry breeding programs.

A partir de uma linha macho de corte e outra de postura, foi desenvolvida uma população experimental F2 com objetivo de mapear locos de características quantitativas (QTLs) para características de interesse comercial. Foi gerado um total de 2.063 animais F2 em 17 incubações que foram criados como frangos de corte até a 6&#170; semana de idade, quando foram avaliadas seis características de desempenho. As famílias utilizadas para o estudo, foram as que obtiveram maior número de marcadores microssatélites informativos em trabalhos anteriores envolvendo os cromossomos 1 a 5 com a mesma população. Vinte marcadores dos cromossomos 19, 23, 24, 26, 27 e 28 foram testados nos indivíduos parentais e F1 das famílias escolhidas para checar se eram ou não informativos. Após a genotipagem das 5 famílias escolhidas, foram construídos os mapas de ligação e realizada a análise de mapeamento de QTL por intervalo para cada cromossomo utilizando o método de regressão e o modelo genético F2. Dois modelos foram testados: um incluindo apenas o efeito aditivo do QTL e outro modelo que incluiu também o efeito de dominância. Caso fosse identificado QTL com nível de significância no mínimo sugestivo no genoma, os modelos foram confrontados para confirmar o efeito de dominância do QTL. Foram conduzidas também análises complementares com o intuito de detectar interação do QTL x sexo e QTL x família. Foram estimados a porcentagem da variância fenotípica e o intervalo de confiança para cada QTL. No cromossomo 26 foi mapeado QTL significativo a 5% no cromossomo para ganho de peso dos 35 aos 41 dias, e no cromossomo 27 foi identificado, para a característica peso vivo aos 35 dias um QTL sugestivo no genoma. Os QTL localizados nos cromossomo 26 e 27 foram localizados a 0.0 e 103.0 cM e explicaram 1,95 e 2,03% da variação fenotípica, respectivamente. / With the objective of mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for economically valuable characteristics, an F2 chicken population was developed by crossing a broiler sire line and a layer dam line. A total of 2.063 F2 chickens from 17 incubations were reared as broilers and slaughtered at 6 week of age, when six performance traits were measured. Five families were chosen for this study based on previous work to determine the most informative families. Twenty markers from chromosomes 19, 23, 24, 26, 27 and 28 were tested in the parental and F1 chickens from the chosen families to select the informative markers. After genotyping parental, F1 and F2 chickens, the linkage maps were constructed and QTL Interval mapping analysis was conducted for each chromosome using regression methods and the F2 genetic model. Two different models were tested: one including only the additive effect of the QTL and another model that also included the dominance effect. If at least a genome-wide suggestive QTL was detected, they were compared through standard F tests to confirm the dominance effect of the QTL. Complementary analyses were conducted to investigate the existence of QTL x sex and QTL x family interactions. The percentage of the phenotypic variance explained by the QTL and the confidence intervals were estimated for each QTL. A 5% chromosome-wide significant QTL for weight gain from 35 to 41 d was mapped to chromosome 26 and a QTL that exceeded the genome-wide suggestive threshold for body weight at 35 d was mapped to chromosome 27. This QTL positioned at 103 cM explained 2.03% of the phenotypic variance of the trait and presented a confidence interval from 0 to 111 cM.

Fraturas cominutivas com grandes perdas ósseas são comuns em animais silvestres, sendo de maior prevalência em aves, devido a traumas, com a crescente urbanização e desmatamento. Um dos problemas para o tratamento dessas fraturas nesses animais é a dificuldade do uso de enxertia autógena, devido os locais de coleta não oferecerem material suficiente e pela alta taxa de morbidade. Assim, a engenharia de biomateriais vem desenvolvendo diversos dispositivos com a intenção de auxiliar nesse tratamento. O uso de cimento ósseo é crescente nesse meio, e tem como objetivo a recuperação e reintrodução do animal a seu habitat. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o uso do cimento ósseo de hidroxiapatita deficiente em cálcio (HAD) associado ou não a proteína morfogenética óssea (BMP), para o tratamento do defeito crítico (DC) diafisário em ulna de galinhas domésticas. Foram utilizadas 32 aves, separadas em 4 grupos de 8 animais, sendo: controle negativo (GCN), controle positivo (GCP), cimento de HAD (GHAD) e cimento HAD associado a BMP (GHAD+BMP). Todos os animais passaram pelos procedimentos de ostectomia e a fixação dos fragmentos por meio da colocação de um pino intramedular de 1,5mm de forma retrógada, e acompanhados por período de 60 dias. Foram realizados exames radiográficos, análise histopatológica e biomecânica das ulnas. O presente trabalho demonstrou que não houve diferença significativa de consolidação entre os grupos com e sem BMP, porém o HAD+BMP apresentou-se mais eficiente para DC em galinhas na avaliação histopatológica, levando a resposta osteoindutora, por parte do cimento, e osteogênica, pela proteína. / Comminuted fractures with great bone loss are common in wild animals, being more present in birds due to trauma related to growing urbanization and deforestation. One of the problems of the treatment of these kinds of fractures in these animals is the difficulty of using autogenous grafting because collection places do not offer enough material and also because of the high morbidity rate. Therefore, biomaterials engineering has been developing several devices intending to help on this treatment. Therewith, the use of bone cement is increasing in this environment, and has as its goal the recovery and reintroduction of the animal to its habitat. The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of calcium deficient hydroxyapatite bone cement (HAD) for the treatment of diaphysialcritical defect (DC) in ulna of domestic hens. Thirty-two birds were used, divided in four groups of eight animals, being: negative control (GCN), positive control (GCP), HAD cement (GHAD) and HAD cement associated with bone morphogenetic protein (GHAD + BMP). All animals went through the procedure of ostectomy and fixation of the fragments by placing a 1.5mm intramedullary pin in a retrograde way, and assisted for a period of 60 postoperative days. Radiographic examinations, histopathological and biomechanical analysis of the ulna were performed.The present paper demonstrated that there was not a significant consolidation measure between the groups with no BMP, however HAD + BMP presented more efficient results for DC in hens in the histopathological evaluation, leading to an osteoinductive response by cement and osteogenic by the protein.