Poultry Genetics and The Breeder Industry Flashcards
sex chromosomes
Z and W
ZW – male or female?
female!
*female determines sex
ZZ – male or female
male!
what are qualitative traits?
a trait you can see (ex: comb)
feather color traits
primary = color of the bird (white, black, red)
secondary = pattern on the feather
shank/ foot color
color can change based on nutrition, bright yellow is good
dark skin color
fibromelanosis (fn) and dermal melanin inhibitor interact to create higher levels of melanin
What is the goal of the breeder industry?
to develop genetic lines that have trait specific to what the industry needs
Why does the breeder industry have such strict biosecurity practices?
They need to see if the chickens are having a genetic issue vs have environmental impacts
What is the goal of genetic selection?
offspring that are better than their parents
desirable traits in laying hens
clutch length, shell quality, sexual maturity (18 weeks), size (petite), temperament
desirable traits of broilers
growth rate/feed efficiency, skeletal development, and resilience
How long does it take to pass a trait?
4 years
How does the pyramid of passing traits work in the breeder industry?
pure line elite stock, ggp, gp, parent stock then has the broilers and layers
(takes 5 generations and 4 years)
What is highly heritable?
a quick change (ex: carcass quality)
