Bird Welfare
Avision’s main program is based on broiler and turkey breeding. The main programs that we have outlined in this section are the result of 60 years of experience in the field of management, development of poultry farming and their selection based on decades of efforts in the field of bird welfare and comfort.
Avision has designed a specific and unique program for each type of bird and this is a suitable start for providing production chains that include several lines that are grown under controlled conditions and are used in the stages of growth and reproduction of poultry. The goal of breeding such birds with a pedigree that is the result of years of continuous efforts in poultry breeding that ultimately lead to measurable and qualitative traits in poultry and are the result of reproduction and crossing due to the effect of genes on bird traits and are used in different crossings.
Basic Principles of Breeding
In its designed breeding programs, Avison Company examines all records obtained from birds, including bird weight, feed conversion ratio, physical condition assessment, and gait, and in this regard, these measures taken are recorded in the bird’s pedigree and are reviewed and evaluated as a record for each bird. By combining physical measurements and available family information for each bird, a very clear picture of the bird itself and their families in the tested population can be obtained, the best genetic potential of each bird can be obtained, through which we can best assist in genetic selection for transmission to future generations and contribute to the better development of commercial birds. In each of the implementation of breeding programs carried out in the company, this extensive information obtained broilers produced dates back to 1979.
For this purpose, it presents balanced approaches to selecting birds for breeding and evaluates and breeds different traits simultaneously that are related to each other. In this regard, selection for some traits may have a negative or positive effect on other traits. Typically, there is a negative relationship in the conflict between the traits for which birds are selected, such as production and the impact of environmental traits and health and reproductive characteristics. For this purpose, the effect of improved traits on other traits should always be carefully and reliably investigated. Such conflicts are managed by considering several traits simultaneously.
What is the purpose of bird breeding?
The purpose of bird breeding is to select from among the pedigrees of birds that have above-average reproduction, and among them there are always some that have two specific characteristics and are in conflict. In these selected traits that are in conflict, both traits are slowly improved during the breeding process that has occurred, and this is the result of the operation of a special balanced and principled breeding method that has been used at Avision for many years. As you are aware, sustainable and principled breeding according to predetermined structures and breeding is to achieve genotypes in diverse ranges to meet current and future needs.
These programs, which are for both broiler and domestic chicken breeding, have similar structures in their breeding process, to ensure genetic security and stability and high biodiversity and populations that are geographically different in age have been expanded in a repetitive manner. For example, Avigen Broiler and Avigen Turkey each have independent pedigrees in the US and UK, each with pedigree lines within each of the farms with different broiler and layer locations. In breeding programs, the source and source of genetic progress comes from a wide range, with a pedigree of over 30 types of broiler chickens and over 40 types of turkeys with genetic diversity visible within the pedigree.
Bird Welfare Characteristics
Avigen has a long and distinguished history of measuring and surveying poultry welfare and has directed its executive programs in this direction. The opportunity to share the development of turkey breeding programs and resources has provided the opportunity to exchange ideas and new techniques for breeding programs.
Ultrasound
One of the important components of poultry selection is ultrasound, in which all environmental components present in the poultry genome have been reviewed (1990-2000)
Selection for reproduction, in which large pens are used for mating. High density housing to prevent defects, selection for coccidiostat-free diets, footpad measurement and survey, selection for improved meat quality, CT scanning of poultry, research for biomarkers and indicators of proper intestinal function (2000-2010) Genetic selection for appropriate breeding programs, sustainable feed conversion ratio, nutritional range of bird pedigrees, footpad dermatitis, improvement selection based on lexiscope, new and updated processing processes, measurement and survey of water intake (2010-2020).
Sustainability
Sustainability has long been a key component for Avision. While increasing flock output plays a key role in traits such as weight, viability, egg index traits and meat quality, the amount of feed a bird is fed for growth and development is also an important part of this process. A key issue in this regard is feed conversion ratio, which can have a significant impact on bird performance (Jones 2008).
As you can see, there have been significant improvements in feed conversion ratio performance in broilers and turkeys, and the reduction in environmental pollutants in poultry production has also reduced.
Bird Ability
One of the key components of a bird’s ability to thrive in different production environments is the bird’s ability to perform. These traits have been refined over the years to maintain the commercial performance associated with a particular strain under environmental, management and feeding conditions, and are a feature of the company’s pedigree, which is routinely repeated.
For example, in 2013, Avision Turkey tested a high nutrient density early-stage rearing method (which the industry has always struggled with) and showed that leg defects were improved. As bird pedigrees help to improve the breeding of future generations, this information is protected and maintained with the highest biosecurity standards. This means that bird pedigrees cannot meet the natural challenges they face during production.
Research feeding stations have allowed the study of feeding behavior in broilers and turkeys at different feeding levels. The relationship between feeding performance and behavioral traits and water consumption has also been studied, with extensive comparisons between species and their performance being conducted with the aforementioned poultry, as well as ducks, cattle, pigs, dolphins, and rats by the aforementioned scientists.
This method of genome transfer began in 2000 for broilers and in 2010 for turkeys. Over time, this process of selection from multiple environments has had a significant impact on the management capabilities of the immune system and the digestive tract. The multi-environment approach used is suitable for the current generation of birds because they adapt to a wide range of different managements. This experimentation and sibling approach has resulted in stronger animal populations with higher viability and better uniformity.
Foot Health
Since 1970, one of the key and very important factors in the breeding programs that have been considered at Avison Company has been the health of the feet of the birds. As you can see, in broilers, it starts with the removal of birds with problems and defects in the legs, and in turkeys, they are removed from the selected flock by evaluating their gait.
In addition to foot defects, each bird is screened for foot plantar dermatitis (FPD), hock lesions and toe defects. In this regard, without ignoring or condoning any bird with the aforementioned defects is not selected so that we do not have any problems in the next generation. This process has continued to this day in broiler and turkey breeding programs, and this factor has led to a decrease in leg-related genes in the populations of the breeding groups of interest, as shown by Kappel et al. in 2012 for broilers and in 2017 for turkeys. In addition, family-based selection has made it possible to eliminate non-defective individuals from families with the aforementioned defects.
Foot Health Assessment and Survey Method
The foot health assessment and survey method has been developed over many years and to date, which includes the use of handheld X-ray technology (lexiscope) to more accurately diagnose dyschondroplasia clinically and also for the tibia in the laboratory. This work was initially started on broilers in 1989. For this purpose, a new generation of the lexiscope was improved in 2007-2008, and the level of detection and the possibility of using this technology in turkeys have been provided, and it is still used in addition to the assessment of gait and foot defects.
Heart and Lung Health
Since 1991, the cardiovascular health of broiler chickens has been monitored through their pedigrees using pulse oximetry to measure the level of oxygen saturation in the blood. This is a key indicator of the susceptibility of broiler chickens to injury and sudden death syndrome. The measurements of each bird are linked to their family information and in this territorial trial any family that is more susceptible to these issues is removed to ultimately improve the health and welfare of the flock in subsequent generations.
Survival in the poultry industry
Survival is one of the most important and vital traits for the welfare and production of poultry. The most important goal in the implementation of Avision breeding programs is to improve the survival trait through a number of traits in birds.
The survival trait is recorded at all stages of the production cycle, such as the bird pedigree and the sibling environment. The survival trait is indirectly improved through selection for traits such as leg health, carcass defects and cardiovascular function.
Avison records each viability and survival event that is relevant to this process and records each event through the pedigree to which it is linked, as well as identifying any families that are predisposed to better and more desirable survival.
By incorporating these events and traits into balanced selections, we have seen bird populations improve in viability each year. In broilers, the improvement in viability through genetic selection in the company’s programs is about 0.05 to 0.10 per year.
Results
The cornerstone of the bird selection processes at Avison is the survey and assessment of their welfare and viability. Improving the genetic potential of pedigree lines can benefit current and future generations. In this regard, Avison has implemented programs in breeding environments that were practical and efficient to obtain better results and acceptable standards, in which all welfare and health conditions of the flock have been considered.
Avison is continuously and continuously seeking to obtain increased improvements in desirable output traits so that it can create new characteristics to meet the needs of this industry. The implementation of selection tools with the utmost precision is focused on the development and optimization of breeding programs.
In the meantime, maintaining a gene pool with a wide and extensive spectrum and maintaining diversity within and outside the tested pedigree population are among the priorities that this industry depends on now and in the future. To accomplish this important and vital mission, a team of highly skilled personnel with decades of industry experience and a high-level scientific foundation are also part of the core and long-term strategy of the relationship.
Avison is highly committed to providing continuous improvement in breeding, increasing viability, maintaining poultry strength and efficiency. In line with Avison’s long-term goals, after carefully examining the feedback and needs of the target market, which includes customers and the target community, the breeding goals will continue to be pursued according to the above until the desired results are achieved. This process ensures that future needs in each market segment are met in a responsible and comprehensive manner.
For most of the traits tested, the small variation observed relative to the overall variation is due to genetic variation, and it should also be borne in mind that management factors have a profound impact on the health and offspring produced by the flock. Therefore, Avison has made it its mission to provide extensive information to managers who need further advice on management strategies, along with health care that will increase production, to achieve better performance and bird health.
