Developments in poultry genetic research 1960-2009

Major advances in the study of inheritance were made in the early 20th century that became the basis for the systematic improvement of chickens for specialised egg or meat production in the last 50 years. The developing sciences of applied poultry breeding are reflected in publications in British Poultry Science during this period and are illustrated by a selection of papers in five areas: (i) papers on the measurement of new phenotypes (disease resistance and egg shell strength); (ii) undesirable correlated responses to selection (reproductive efficiency and bone strength); (iii) genetic interactions (gene-gene and gene-environment); (iv) selection for production efficiency (feed conversion efficiency and residual feed intake); and (v) papers illustrating the potential role of technology based on knowledge of variation at the level of the DNA (Quantitative Trait Loci for ascites resistance and polymorphisms in the growth hormone receptor gene).