Commercial chickens have lost half of genetic diversity

[yewberry]

Landmark Study Finds Industrial Chicken Breeds Seriously Lack Genetic Diversity

February 19, 2009

Commercial chicken breeds used to produce meat and eggs around the world have lost at least half of the genetic diversity once present among their ancestors, according to a study conducted by an international team of researchers that includes a UC Davis animal scientist.

The study is the first experimental analysis of genetic diversity for an entire agricultural commodity. It raises concerns over whether the genetic diversity of commercial flocks is sufficient to deal with future challenges.

The global poultry industry produces more than 40 billion birds for meat and eggs annually and has grown rapidly during the past 50 years, leading to intensive selection for traits such as size and egg production. As the industry has become more concentrated in a smaller number of firms, inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity have increasingly become concerns.

http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=8983


Ugh. Another reason that factory farming and widespread exploitation are bad for everyone.

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. Ummmm......

I am personally acquainted with a fellow that has a commercial organic egg production operation.

His flocks are inspected by the Humane Society several times a year and they are under 24/7 remote video surveillance by the Humane Society.

His birds are not caged. They have free access to a protected outdoor area, weather permitting.

His birds receive veterinary care and are fed whole grains that do not have chemical or hormonal additives.

His operation is also environmentally friendly. All liter is removed and trucked to a manufacturing facility where it is used to make commercially available fertilizers.

There are responsible egg producers.

[yewberry]

2. Ummmmm

The fact that you know someone you consider to be a responsible egg producer has no bearing on the findings re: lack of diversity in this study.

[Coyote_Bandit]

6. This

particular operation has served as a test facility to evaluate various genetic lines before they have been placed into general production. That is very relevant to this discussion.

My response is to the general commentary in the OP regarding exploitation. That commentary also happens to be irrelevant to the issue of genetic diversity.

Simple fact is that the majority of Americans are not going to become vegan and give up the consumption of eggs and food products containing eggs. The Humane Society apparently is cognizant of that fact and is working with responsible egg producers to insure and certify that the birds are treated humanely.

Annual US egg consumption is 257 eggs per person. I do not think that it is the least bit realistic to think egg producers will be forced out of business anytime in the foreseeable future because folks are no longer eating eggs. That suggests to me that it is very worthwhile to recognize responsible egg production practices and producers. There is a whole lot more time, expense and effort required to be a responsible egg producer. The financial compensation for the effort is generally inadequate to cover the additional costs - which is to say that the premium paid to the egg producer is enerally inadequate to comensate for the additional costs. The certification process also offers a valuable service to consumers because it provides some verification of the manner in which flocks are treated.

For those who do consume eggs and who choose cage-free eggs most of those eggs are now from certified humane producers:
http://www.iconocast.com/EB000000000000094/E0/News1.htm

You might be interested to note that the American Vegetarian Association recognized Eggland’s Best eggs as an official Vegetarian Certified product because of the all-natural, vegetarian feed that the hens eat, and the higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/040906/agr_040906002.shtml

[yewberry]

11. Your

acquaintance's operation may be involved in attempts to improve genetic diversity in fowl before they are "placed into general production" but that does not change the fact that the "general production" mindset is what caused the dearth in the first place.

If you'd like to argue that factory farming and institutionalized commodification of animals (and the resultant lack of genetic diversity) are not by definition exploitation, of course you're free to do so, but remember that you're posting in the VVAR group, and so folks might be inclined to disagree.

Along the same lines, arguing against veganism and the precepts of veganism because "the majority of Americans are not going to become vegan" might not be completely welcomed in the VVAR group. While I appreciate the fact that some people do try to make choices that are less egregiously harmful by choosing to buy from smaller/local/"humanely produced" operations, please be aware that some of the posters in this group come here so that they don't have to hear themselves and their beliefs devalued.

[flvegan]

12. You are so much nicer than I am.

[yewberry]

13. Was that even a question?

Of course I'm kidding!

:patriot:

[LeftyMom]

4. How long do they live?

[Coyote_Bandit]

5. Longer

than they would if left to fend for themselves against predators in the wild.

[LeftyMom]

7. Nice evasive answer. How long do they live, on average?

Please express your answer as a base ten number followed by a unit of time, such as 1 year, six months, 3 fortnights, etc.

[Coyote_Bandit]

8. The guinea flock

that the neighbors used to allow to roam on their small acreage never seemed to survive the spring and summer before the coyotes or a pack of dogs came and maimed and killed them. Yet I hear no one complaining about their poor treatment or unnaturally short lifespan.

Worldwide about 98% of laying hens are caged and denied free movement. Yet you apparently want to complain about the fellow who provides veterinary care to his flock, feeds them whole grain food without chemical or hormonal additives, has no cages, permits his flock to have free access to an outdoor protected area, submits to voluntary inspections and 24/7 remote video monitoring by a group whose goal is to protect the welfare of the flock and sells his litter to be used in commercial fertilizer manufacturing. I guess it's easy to be an "armchair quarterback" and find fault when not having to do the work down in the trenches.

Egg consumption is the US averages 257 eggs per person annually. I doubt the majority of our population has the self-discipline or desire required to change their lifestyle, become vegan and quit consuming eggs. The demand for commercial egg production isn't going to go away in the foreseeable future. People have different values, beliefs and lifestyles. You can no more make everyone vegan than you can make everyone christian - and the church has spent a couple of millennia trying to accomplish that unrealistic goal.

If you think you know how to commercially produce eggs more responsibly then perhaps you should take on that endeavor. That would probably have a much more positive impact than throwing stones at those who are getting their hands dirty dealing with the day to day operational issues and actually making an effort to do that very thing. But I suspect you have little interest in putting forth that effort.

[LeftyMom]

9. You're still not answering that question.

If this sort of ideal egg production works out so well for the hens involved, they live nice healthy lives, right?

____ months/years.

Since you're the expert, kindly fill in the blank.

[Tumbulu]

14. This is not an answer to the above question

but just for info on real free range chickens from three farms (including mine).

1. My farm: all the chickens (13 of them) get let out to roam freely over 3 acres during the day and I close the coop at night. But still my neighbor's dogs kill some every year. But new chicks hatch every year and so the number stays around the same. The longest hen has lived 7 years on my farm. I get around 1 eggs per day in the winter and maybe 5 in the spring and summer and lots of chicks as some hens love to sit on eggs and hatch them out.

2. My neighbor down the road has a completely concrete ditch lined coop so that NO PREDATORS can get in. They have maybe 15 chickens, rescued pheasants and a few rescued ducks and a little pond in there. They are not free range at all since a predator could get them. They have some hens that are 13 years old. Personally, I think that it is a better life, albeit a shorter life to be able to roam about, but these guys love these chickens and cannot bear to have any animal get them. They are not crowded, it is a large area that is enclosed.

3. Two miles away is a commercial organic pasture egg farm. 800 + chickens rotated around on 1 acre pasture blocks- grown and irrigated for them. They are moved about once a week to fresh new plants as they eat them up. They get organic grain too and have portable coops that they are closed in at night. Some fly out of the electro-net portable fencing and get eaten by predators if they are not found and brought back in. The eggs sell for $6/dozen and they still are losing money. They justify the loss by how much good the chickens do for the soil. So far most of the hens that they started with 3 years ago are alive and well and they keep getting more chicks and adding them to the group and building more portable coops. They do this by themselves and sell the eggs direct at the farmer's market along with their organic veggies. They did a lot of publicity for the Yes on 2 proposition and it was very helpful to have someone so big pushing for the legislation. They are not really that big by commercial standards, but they are big for our area. They gave me a very tame rooster 3 years ago who was already 3 years old and they have had a small household flock for over 10 years before they went so big.

[flvegan]

10. The Humane Society?

[veganlush]

3. Amen. ..boycott all factory farms...go vegan!