Comparison of a modern broiler line and a heritage line unselected since the 1950s

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Author(s)Schmidt, Carl J.
Author(s)Persia, M.E.
Author(s)Feierstein, E.
Author(s)Kingham, B.
Author(s)Saylor, W.W.
Date Accessioned2025-02-20T19:09:01Z
Date Available2025-02-20T19:09:01Z
Publication Date2019-12-11
DescriptionThis article was originally published in Poultry Science. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2009-00055. © 2009 Poultry Science Association Inc. Open access under a Creative Commons license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
AbstractSelecting chicken for improved meat production has altered the relative growth of organs in modern broiler lines compared with heritage lines. In this study, we compared the growth and feed efficiency of a heritage line, UIUC, with a modern production line, Ross 708, for 5 wk posthatch. During this period, the BW and feed efficiency of the modern strain was higher than that of the heritage line, indicating that the Ross 708 birds were more efficient than the UIUC birds at converting feed to body mass. The relative growth of the breast, heart, liver, and intestine were also compared during these 5 wk. The breast muscle of the heritage line constituted 9% of the total body mass at 5 wk, whereas in the modern line, the breast muscle was 18% of the total mass of the bird. In contrast, the relative size of the heart decreased after d 14 in the modern line, suggesting that selection for increased breast muscle has translated into relatively less weight of the heart muscle. The liver matured earlier in modern lines, possibly improving nutrient utilization as the birds shift from lipid- to carbohydrate-rich feed. Finally, jejunal and ileal sections of the intestine were 20% longer in the modern line, perhaps allowing for increased nutrient absorption.
SponsorThis work was supported by a University of Delaware College of Agricultural and Natural Resources seed grant. We thank Chet W. Utterback (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) for providing the UIUC heritage line chicks.
CitationSchmidt, C.J., M.E. Persia, E. Feierstein, B. Kingham, and W.W. Saylor. “Comparison of a Modern Broiler Line and a Heritage Line Unselected since the 1950s.” Poultry Science 88, no. 12 (December 2009): 2610–19. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2009-00055.
ISSN1525-3171
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/35831
Languageen_US
PublisherPoultry Science
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Keywordsbroiler
Keywordsevolution
Keywordsbreast
Keywordsheart
Keywordsintestine
TitleComparison of a modern broiler line and a heritage line unselected since the 1950s
TypeArticle
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