RESUMO
This study aimed to investigate direct and indirect correlations of methodologies of bone quality analysis from brown egg layers, at final of the production cycle. Twelve femurs ofDekalb Brown laying hens, euthanized at 85-week-old, were assessed to evaluate breaking strength (BS), Seedor index (SI), mineral matter (MM), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents, besides cortical (CorD), medullar (MedD)and epiphysis (EpiD) diameters. Correlations and path analysis were obtained with the aid of SAS®University (p≤0.05). The BS directly represented the bonequality and was compared toother methodologies. Greater linear correlations occurred betweenBS and MM (r = 0.82), MM and Ca (r= 0.72), and BS and Ca (r =0.70). The MM content displayedthe greatest direct effect on the BS (r = 0.53). The Ca content showeda reduced direct effect on the BS (r = 0.18), with indirect effects throughMM content (r = 0.44) and EpiD (r = 0.15), however, presented a great total correlation (r = 0.78). Determination of mineral matter content is the main methodology associated with femur breaking strength from brown egg layers at final of the productive cycle. Because of that, this methodologyis more reliable to determine bone quality.(AU)