🦃 Guest Lecture 3

About Us

• 5 species-specific business units

• 1 region-specific business units

• Global operations in 25 countries

Geneticist Job - 17th Century

• Selective breeding for:

  • More milk, more meat, more eggs

  • Different feather/skin/egg colors

  • Mate the best to the best

• Led to the formation of different purebreds

Geneticist Job - 18 - 19th Century

• Scientific breeding - Systematic approach

  • Keep records (pedigree, perform)

    • Maintains bloodlines, consistency, and quality

    • Select individuals based on the performance of ancestors

  • Inbreeding to stabilize characteristics

  • Emphasis on productivity traits

    • Meat yield, milk production, work efficiency

  • Key livestock breeds developed

Geneticist Job - 20th Century

• Modern genetics and breeding prgoram

  • Discobery of DNA for more precise genetic selection

  • Marker-assisted selection: Specific genes linked to desirable traits

  • Genomic selection: Using thousands of DNA markers to evaluate animals’ breeding value

• Artifcial insemination (AI) for higher breednig efficiency

• Crossbreeding

  • Heterosis: Superior qualities of crossbred offspring compared to purebred parents

  • Breed complimentary: Combining desirable traits

How Does This Apply to the Turkey Industry?

• Players in the turkey industry:

  • Breeding companies

  •  Hybrid, Aviagem

    •  Selection, assign mating

    • Multiply

    • Crossbreeding

  • Customers

    • Multiplier breeder

    • Commercial product grower

How You Do Selection

1. Eggs

2. Hatchery

3. Rearing barn

4. Phenotypes 4. Genotypes

5. Body weights             5. DNA markers

6. Walking ability            6. Breeding values

7. Breast meat yield       7. Selection

8. Feed efficiency           8. Best toms and hens

9.                                    9. Lay barn

Breeding Direction

• Desirable traits

• Productivity traits

  • Body weight

  • Breast meat yield

  • Feed efficiency

  • Egg production

Data Collection - 21st Century

• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

• Animal weight system

• CT scan for breast meat yield

• Feed station for feed efficiency

Animal Welfare and Health

• Leg health and walking ability

• Group housing behavior

Balanced Breeding

• Product quality

• Production efficiency

• Health and welfare

Better Breeding Today

• Multi-species advantages

• Combined research team

• IT breeding

• Innovative technologies

• R&D (Research and Development) network

• Investment capacity

Brighter Life Tomorrow

• Economically sound sector

• Animal welfare

• Lower stress

• Housing

• Environmentally friendly

• Socially accepted