Genetic aspects of feed efficiency and reduction of environmental footprint in broilers: a review.
Currently, optimization of feed efficiency is one of the main challenges in improvement programs of livestock and poultry genetics. The objective of this review is to present the genetic aspects of feed efficiency related traits in meat-type chicken and possible ways to reduce the environmental impact of poultry meat production with effective breeding. Basic measures of feed efficiency are defined and the genetic background of these traits, including a review of heritabilities is described. Moreover, a number of genomic regions and candidate genes determining feed efficiency traits of broilers that were detected over the past decades are described. Classical and genomic selection strategies for feed efficiency in the context of its relationships with other performance traits are discussed as well. Finally, future strategies to improve feed digestibility are described as it is expected that they will decrease wastes and greenhouse gas emission. Further genetic improvement of feed efficiency, should be examined jointly with appropriate feeding strategies in broilers.
Departament of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska st. 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
Ewa
E
Sell-Kubiak
Institute of Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute of Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
Klaus
K
Wimmers
Institute of Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute of Farm Animal Biology, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany.
Henry
H
Reyer
Departament of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska st. 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland. tomasz@up.poznan.pl.
Tomasz
T
Szwaczkowski
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock / Q000235:genetics; D008460:Meat; D010641:Phenotype
Chicken; Feed efficiency; Genomic selection; Greenhouse gases; Heritability