Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Genetic diversity takes a beating

Sunday, January 4, 2009

The tremendous increase in the productivity of poultry over 50 years has come at a cost: genetic diversity. That may come back to haunt an industry susceptible to avian influenza, says a study published in November in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The study, conducted by an international group of scientists, including those at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory in East Lansing, Mich., and the Department of Animals Sciences, Purdue, West Lafayette, Ind., compared thousands of genetic markers in standard bird flocks and those from commercial breeders.

It found that commercial poultry flocks have lost half their genetic diversity over time as companies selected for desired traits. A smaller number of companies further reduced the diversity of chickens. Reports about the study indicated that commercial broilers today descend from about three lines of birds.

Egg-producing layers come from only one specialized line.

The study's authors suggested greater diversity could be restored by interbreeding commercial chickens with indigenous or still existing varieties from different commercial flocks. BF
 

Current Issue

March 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Farmer Planting Decisions for 2025 Taking Shape

Thursday, March 13, 2025

As farmers across Canada prepare for the 2025 crop year, Statistics Canada says their planting decisions reflect a complex mix of factors including moisture conditions, crop rotation considerations, and market prices. Nationally, farmers are expected to plant more wheat, corn for... Read this article online

Grain Growers of Sounding the Alarm Over U.S. Tariffs

Monday, March 10, 2025

Not surprisingly, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is raising concerns over the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian grain and grain products, a move that could jeopardize the livelihoods of family-run grain farms and lead to higher food prices for American... Read this article online

International Women’s Day – Angela Cammaert

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, Farms.com is asking women in ag about what they’d tell their younger selves about being a farmer, to give a piece of advice to young women entering the ag sector, and to highlight a woman in agriculture they consider a mentor or... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top