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Genetic progress in broiler traits – implications for welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

E. C. Fleming ,
C. Fisher  and
J. McAdam
E. C. Fleming*
Affiliation:
Aviagen Ltd, Newbridge, United Kingdom
C. Fisher
Affiliation:
Aviagen Ltd, Newbridge, United Kingdom
J. McAdam
Affiliation:
Aviagen Ltd, Newbridge, United Kingdom
*
Email:efleming@aviagen.com
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Extract

Genetic selection has dramatically increased the growth potential of broilers. A positive correlation exists between growth rate and the occurrence of leg disorders (Sørensen et al., 1999), and rapid growth rate is widely presumed to be a fundamental cause of leg ill-health in the modern broiler. However, it is recognised that the simultaneous improvement of growth rate and reduction in incidence of leg disorders is possible (Sørensen, 1992). The objective of this study was to explore the impact that selection for growth has had on broiler welfare, as measured by leg health and mortality, using data from genetic control strains.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2007 , April 2007 , pp. 50
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

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References

Aviagen Ltd. 2002. Ross broiler management manualGoogle Scholar
Sørensen, P. 1992. The genetics of leg disorders. Pages 213–229 in Bone Biological and Skeletal Disorders in Poultry. Whitehead, C. C., ed. Poultry Science Sympossium23. Carfax Publishing Co., Abingdon, UK Google Scholar
Sørensen, P., Su, G., Kestin, S.C. 1999. The effects of photoperiod/scotoperiod on leg weakness in broiler chickens. Poultry Science 78:336–342.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed