Organization of breeding work and principles of selection in modern poultry farming

Principles of Selection and Hierarchy of Pedigree Poultry Farming

The main task of breeding work in poultry farming is the development of new and improvement of existing breeds, as well as specialized high-productivity egg and meat lines. By crossing specialized combining lines, hybrid poultry is obtained, which surpasses purebred poultry in vitality and productivity. Expanded reproduction of the best lines and their hybridization form the basis for mass production of eggs and meat.

Modern methods of selection are based on advances in genetics. The accumulated experience allows for the application of scientifically grounded programs of selection, purebred breeding, and the development of combining specialized lines in production. This work is carried out in breeding centers, at stations, and in experimental farms of scientific institutions, from where breeding material is transferred to pedigree breeding farms.

• Ways to increase production — population growth and productivity improvement
• Main material for poultry farms — hybrid poultry from combining lines

1. Breeding centers and stations: genetically grounded selection, development of new breeds and specialized combining lines, development of selection programs.
2. Pedigree breeding farms: improvement of lines, crosses, and promising breeds, their propagation, and transfer to multiplication farms.
3. Multiplication farms: propagation of specialized lines, their crossing according to the pedigree breeding farm's plan, and production of hybrid hatching eggs and day-old chicks.
4. Commercial farms and poultry factories: rearing of hybrid poultry for the industrial production of eggs and meat. Incubator-poultry stations provide young stock to non-specialized farms.

Interaction Scheme of Farms and Quality Control

The interaction of breeding stations, pedigree breeding farms, multiplication farms, incubator stations, and poultry factories is based on cooperation regulated by a single plan for breeding work. The plans provide for the organization of working methods with specific breeds and lines, as well as the procedure for transferring breeding and hybrid material between farms.

For constant quality control of products, state competitive testing farms operate within the system. Breeding stations and pedigree breeding farms transfer hatching eggs of developed and improved lines, as well as hybrid poultry, there. Hatching, rearing of young stock, and evaluation of productive qualities are conducted under equal and corresponding conditions, which allows for selecting the best lines and crosses for mass production.

In practice, the organizational options for breeding work vary depending on zonal features, the type of poultry, and its production direction. Breeding centers transfer selection material to pedigree breeding farms, which propagate it and supply combining lines to multiplication farms. Industrial production of eggs and poultry meat is organized at poultry factories and in inter-farm cooperation associations, including multiplication farms, feed mills, and poultry processing plants.

Exhibitions and contests are of great importance in summarizing the results of breeding work and using their findings in production. At the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (VDNKh), which operates permanently, visitors get acquainted with the experience of advanced farms and the results of scientific research. Exhibitions facilitate the wide implementation of scientific and technological progress in the development of poultry farming on an industrial basis.

The admission of poultry to exhibitions is carried out in accordance with special regulations and requirements defining the acceptable level of productivity for the exhibited poultry and the farm's herd as a whole. At exhibitions, poultry is evaluated based on conformation, productivity, and breeding qualities.

For different species and breeds of poultry, special scales for point evaluation are developed, and rewards are established for poultry that has received a certain number of points. Expert evaluation of poultry is entrusted to experienced specialists.

For comparative evaluation of productivity and breeding qualities of poultry, control tests of egg production are organized across various climatic zones.

Usually, several hundred hatching eggs are selected from pedigree poultry (randomly) and delivered to a special state competitive farm, where they are incubated under equal conditions, and the young stock is reared and subsequently tested for productivity. To evaluate breeding qualities, young stock is sometimes obtained from the tested groups of poultry and their productivity is checked.

Such a complete evaluation of poultry continues for two years. A comparative test of breeds, lines, crosses, and hybrid poultry allows for an objective assessment of the results of selection work and the testing of developed lines, crosses, and hybrid poultry for implementation in production.

Comparative tests are carried out at the competitive testing stations of scientific institutions, where their own new lines, crosses, and hybrids are compared with the best ones from other domestic and foreign farms, and samples are selected for state testing. Samples from breeding farms are compared, and the best ones are identified for propagation and production use.

In accordance with the comprehensive program for the economic integration of socialist countries, the CMEA Standing Commission on Agriculture has established an International Poultry Testing Station based at the Poultry Research Institute in Czechoslovakia. The station's activities include:

• since 1971 — conducting comparative evaluations of the genetic potential of different poultry species bred in CMEA member countries;
• developing coordination projects for poultry utilization based on the data obtained.

In the USA, Canada, and Western European countries, there are egg-laying and broiler competitions in which commercial companies participate, focusing on the production and sale of breeding poultry.