Growth, efficiency, and yield of commercial broilers from 1957, 1978, and 2005

• Published in: Poultry science Vol. 93; no. 12; pp. 2970 - 2982
• Main Authors: Zuidhof, M.J., Schneider, B.L., Carney, V.L., Korver, D.R., Robinson, F.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Poultry Science Association, Inc 01.12.2014
• Series: Editor's choice
• Subjects: abdominal fat; Adipose Tissue; Alberta; allometry; analysis of covariance; Animals; Body Composition - genetics; Body Composition - physiology; Breeding; Chickens - genetics; Chickens - growth & development; Eating; energy; feed conversion; feed intake; Female; genetic selection; Genetics; growth models; heart; immune response; liver; Male; meat; pectoralis muscle; quantitative genetics; selection pressure; Selection, Genetic; sexual dimorphism; Weight Gain - genetics; Alberta; efficiency; broiler; genetic change; yield dynamics

The effect of commercial selection on the growth, efficiency, and yield of broilers was studied using 2 University of Alberta Meat Control strains unselected since 1957 and 1978, and a commercial Ross 308 strain (2005). Mixed-sex chicks (n = 180 per strain) were placed into 4 replicate pens per stra...