Performance needs a multidisciplinary approach: How to get the most out of genetic advances and how best to deal with some of the other influences on animal science, now and in the future

摘要

IMPLEMENTING APPROPRIATE FEEDING, nutritional, management and disease prevention strategies will go a considerable way to help producers to get the most out of the genetics available, but there are biological limits to what classical genetic selectioncan attain. The variables that will shape the performance of the future should be considered by poultry scientists of all disciplines in order that the production of safe poultry meat and eggs remains economical, regardless of where breeding leads. Theachievements of selective breeding are visible in the increase in the numbers of birds reared and in the consumption of animal products worldwide. The latter has almost doubled since 1950. Efficiency in feed conversion and growth having been improved dramatically from a genetic point of view, the breeders have already turned their attention to disease resistance, meat quality and lifetime productivity in breeding birds. Genetic potential can therefore not be viewed in isolation. Other factors such as feed ingredients, feeding regime, stocking density, hygienic conditions and overall health status have to be optimized in order to exploit the full potential of animal performance.