William Atkins
Monday, 17 November 2008 22:16
Science -
Biology
Page 1 of 3
An international team of researchers find that commercially raised chickens are missing over half of the genetic diversity that are still found in wild birds. Consequently, these factory birds can’t resist disease as well as their wild counterparts.
This study is the first one to research the genetic diversity of an
“entire agricultural commodity”; that is, chickens.
The chicken, scientifically named
Gallus gallus, or
G. gallus domesticus, is a domesticated fowl.
With over 24 billion chickens produced each year for its meat and eggs, the chicken is one of the most common domesticated animals in the world. More chickens are alive in the world than any other bird.
The consumption of poultry is the favorite meat in the United States,
and many other countries, too. Poultry includes chickens, but also
ducks, geese, turkeys and other such birds.
The research team found that commercial chickens are missing over half of the genetic diversity found in their wild brethren. This lack of genetic diversity has been caused by years and years of inbreeding in commercial chickens.
Animal sciences professor
William "Bill" M. Muir, from Purdue University (West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.) is part of the international research team that researched the DNA of commercially raised chickens and wild chickens.
Dr. Muir states,
“Just what is missing is hard to determine. But recent concerns over avian flu point to the need to ensure that even rare traits, such as those associated with disease resistance, are not totally missing in commercial flocks." [PhysOrg.com: “
Native birds might restock poultry industry's genetic stock”]
Page two doesn't tell which came first (the chicken or the egg) but does continue with this discussion.
