Resizing the productive characteristics of meat-type quail through principal component analysis

ABSTRACT This study aimed to establish criteria for eliminating redundant variables, to know the magnitude of the data relationship, and to provide information that helps researchers in the use of the technique to analyze and interpret production data and egg quality. The data used in this work was obtained from four successive generations of the quail lineage developed by the Department of Animal Science of the Federal University of Pelotas. The characteristics were measured from the 42nd day of age, when the egg production period began, until 126 days of production, obtaining three 28 day periods (cycles) in the four successive generations, totaling 545 females. Of the twelve original variables, only seven demonstrated potential to be maintained in future experiments, representing a 42% exclusion. The main philosophy of this study was the analysis of the studied variables and made possible the understanding of the relationship and the correlations.摘要 本研究旨在建立冗余变量剔除标准，量化数据关联强度，并为研究人员运用相关技术分析、解读生产数据与蛋品质提供支撑信息。本研究所用数据源自佩洛塔斯联邦大学（Federal University of Pelotas）动物科学系培育的鹌鹑品系连续4个世代。相关性状从产蛋周期启动的第42日龄开始测定，直至产蛋第126日，在连续4个世代中共设置3个28天周期，累计纳入545只雌性鹌鹑。原始12个变量中，仅7个具备在后续实验中保留的价值，变量剔除比例达42%。本研究通过对所考察变量进行分析，得以明确变量间的关联与相关关系。