Poultry Breeding & Genetics Overview

Breeding & Genetics Overview

• Poultry breeding programs are based on pedigree and/or grandparent/great-grandparent lines.
• These lines undergo intense selection.
• Many generations are selected due to rapid reproduction.
• Breeding/genetics is concentrated in a few large international companies.

Poultry Company Structure

• Genetic Selectors: (genetics companies)
• Genetic Suppliers: (distributors/breeders)
• Commercial Producers: (producers/farmers)
• Consumers: (grocery stores)

Key Players in Commercial Layer Genetics

• ISA (Hendrix Genetics)
• Lohmann Tierzucht
• Shaver
• Hisex
• Babcock
• Hy-Line
• Novogen

Two Companies Control Layer Genetics

• ISA (Hendrix Genetics)
• Hy-Line
• Lohmann Tierzucht
• Novogen

Hy-Line Genetics History

• Founded in 1936 by Henry A. Wallace.
• Started as a Southern IA farm.
• Developed the principle of hybridization.
• Used a corn breeding model as a precursor.
• Hy-Line "firsts" include hybridization, blood serotyping, avian leukosis eradication, feather sexing, franchise distributors, global production, and molecular genetics.

Hy-Line Genetics Today

• Largest layer breeding program worldwide.
• Products sold in over 120 countries.
• Hy-Line breeds are known for feed efficiency, livability, and productivity.
• They have a unique research-to-production process. Their breeding program has a Global production capacity leading in molecular genetics.

Key Players in Commercial Broiler Genetics

• Aviagen
• Arbor Acres
• Ross
• Hubbard
• Cobb

Avian Genetics - Gender Determination

• Mammals: Male = XY, Female = XX, Males determine offspring sex.
• Birds: Male = ZZ, Female = ZW, Females determine offspring sex.

Broiler Industry: Genetic Structure

• Pedigree: Primary breeders.
• Great Grandparents: Generate generations further down.
• Grandparents: Develop mixed-line mating.
• Parents/Broiler Breeders: Produce broiler chicks, pullets, or poults.
• Broilers: Commercial birds raised for meat production.
• Bird numbers increase significantly from pedigree to commercial broilers.

Laying Hen Industry: Genetic Structure

• Pedigree: Primary breeders at the top of the pyramid.
• Great Grandparents, Grandparents, Parent Stock: Intermediate levels of the genetic pyramid
• Laying Hens: Resulting commercial hens.
• Commercial laying hens average 300 eggs annually.

Egg Production Supply Chain

• Pure Line Breeding: Basic foundation.
• Grandparent Stock Production: Generating intermediate generations to maintain lineage.
• Parent Stock Production: Maintaining stocks for continued egg production.
• Laying Hen Production: The commercial hens.
• Egg Packing & Processing: Handling and preparation of eggs.
• Supermarkets, food services, and consumers: The final distribution network.

Commercial Genetics Explained

• Closed pedigree lines are intensely selected.
• Great-Grandparents and Grandparents are derived from the closed pedigree lines.
• These lines are crossed to form parent lines.
• Parent lines are used to produce broiler chicks, pullets, and poults.
• Broiler industries take advantage of heterosis.
• Broilers show superior growth rates compared to breeders.

Hybrid Vigor

• Heterosis is a biological phenomenon causing crossbreds to outperform their parents.
• Hybrid seed corn was the first major example of heterosis.
• Inbreeding lines are crossed to achieve outbreeding.
• Percentage hybrid vigor = (Crossbred average - Parent average) *100/Parent average.

Origins

• White egg layers: White Leghorns
• Brown egg layers: Rhode Island Red & Plymouth Rock
• Male broilers: Cornish
• Female broilers: Barred Plymouth Rock & White Plymouth Rock
• Diversity at this stage is comparatively limited.

Goals of Poultry Genetic Selection

• Increase product outcome per bird or unit of space.
• Increase production efficiency per unit of feed.
• Improve product quality and disease resistance.

Careers in Poultry Genetics

• Geneticists
• Computer/data specialists
• Veterinarians
• Pathologists
• Nutritionists
• Ethologists

Key Selection Indices for Broilers & Turkeys

• Unknown from provided text

Key Selection Indices for Layers

• Unknown from provided text

Other Valuable Selection Indices

• Unknown from provided text

Discussion with a Classmate

• Discussion topic: What has changed since poultry lines diverged in the 1950s?

Importance of Genetics to Poultry Production

• Poultry genetics have made greater progress in efficient production compared to other livestock.
• Key improvements involve reduced time to market, increased market weight, and reduced feed requirements.

Changes in U.S. Broiler Performance

• Data table showcasing improvement in broiler performance from 1935–2023 including days to market, market weight, and FCR (feed conversion ratio).

Strain Comparison

• Data table showcasing physical changes in chicken strains (weight) over time from 1957-2005.

U.S. Laying Rate Since 2002

• Graph showing the increasing U.S. laying rate from 2002 to 2022.

U.S. per capita meat consumption

• Graph plotting chicken, fish, pork, and beef per capita consumption in the U.S. compared to a 1970 baseline.

Chicken Meat Production

• Data table summarizing chicken meat production across selected countries, showcasing production trends from 2020 to 2024 (projected).

Total Domestic Consumption

• Data table detailing chicken meat consumption across selected countries from 2020 to 2024 (projected).

Chicken Meat Imports

• Data table summarizing chicken meat imports to selected countries from 2020 to 2024 (projected).

Total Exports

• Data table summarizing chicken meat exports from selected countries from 2020 to 2024 (projected).

U.S. Per Capita Egg Consumption

• Graph displaying the U.S. per capita egg consumption data from 2000 to 2022.

Factors Beyond Genetics

• Nutrition
• Housing
• Ventilation
• Cannibalism
• Cage-free hazards
• Disease prevention
• Parasites
• Bacterial infections
• Viruses/biosecurity

Genotype x Environment = Phenotype

• Skin and shank color are influenced by carotenoid pigments (diet) and melanin pigment (genetics).
• Livability is heavily affected by diet, husbandry, vaccinations, and disease resistance / susceptibility characteristics.
• Egg color is influenced by breed/genetics, pigments (protoporphyrin IX), and the absence of pigment.

Explore the intricacies of poultry breeding and genetics in this comprehensive quiz. Discover the roles of genetic selectors, suppliers, and commercial producers, as well as the key players in layer genetics. Understand how breeding programs are structured and the history of leading companies like Hy-Line.