Has there been any discussion of improving chicken breeding using GWAS or similar?
Even if welfare is inversely correlated with productivity, I imagine there are at least a few gene variants which improve welfare without hurting productivity. E.g. gene variants which address health issues due to selective breeding.
Also how about legislation targeting the breeders? Can we have a law like: “Chickens cannot be bred for increased productivity unless they meet some welfare standard.”
Note that prohibiting breeding that causes suffering is different to encouraging breeding that lessens suffering, and that selective breeding is different to gene splicing, etc., which I think is what is typically meant by genetic modification.
Has there been any discussion of improving chicken breeding using GWAS or similar?
Even if welfare is inversely correlated with productivity, I imagine there are at least a few gene variants which improve welfare without hurting productivity. E.g. gene variants which address health issues due to selective breeding.
Also how about legislation targeting the breeders? Can we have a law like: “Chickens cannot be bred for increased productivity unless they meet some welfare standard.”
England prohibits “breeding procedures which cause, or are likely to cause, suffering or injury to any of the animals concerned”. Defra claim Frankenchickens meet this standard and THLUK are challenging that decision in court.
Note that prohibiting breeding that causes suffering is different to encouraging breeding that lessens suffering, and that selective breeding is different to gene splicing, etc., which I think is what is typically meant by genetic modification.