Poultry Genetics and Welfare: Breeding for Better Lives

Genetic selection in poultry can either create or solve welfare problems, with welfare-focused breeding increasingly viable as a commercial strategy.

Key Facts

Slower-growing broiler breeds show dramatically better leg health and activity levels
Layer breeds selected for egg production at the expense of bone density suffer high fracture rates
Some layer breeds have been developed with better bone health through selective pressure on fracture rate
Heritage and dual-purpose breeds offer welfare benefits at the cost of production efficiency
The Better Chicken Commitment specifies breed criteria that exclude the worst-welfare genetics

Welfare Considerations

Poultry genetics is the upstream determinant of welfare problems that management cannot fully solve downstream. Selection for rapid growth creates physiological stress that enrichment and better housing cannot eliminate. Shifting genetic selection criteria to include welfare outcomes including leg health, bone density, and cardiovascular fitness creates animals whose bodies do not compromise their welfare. Commercial uptake is increasing as consumer demand for higher-welfare poultry grows.

What You Can Do

Choose poultry products from producers using breeds meeting Better Chicken Commitment criteria
Support campaigns for welfare-based breed criteria in poultry certification schemes
Advocate for genetic selection criteria to be transparent and welfare-informed
Donate to research into poultry breeding for welfare as well as production efficiency