Rapidly growing broiler (meat-type) chickens: their origin and use for comparative studies of the regulation of growth

Abstract

1. Rapidly growing (meat-type) chickens have been intensively selected for over 50 years and grow up to four times faster than "layer" strains selected for reproductive traits. 2. Comparison between these lines are increasingly being used to study mechanisms underlying lean tissue growth. 3. Selection for increased growth has resulted in some undesirable consequences such as poor reproductive performance, excessive fatness, increased skeletal abnormalities and ascites. 4. The biochemistry, physiology and molecular biology of these changes are reviewed.