Iran launches projects to preserve its native poultry
genetic resources 

An official with Animal Science Research Institute of Iran
(ASRI) said that the center has launched several projects to preserve the
country’s poultry genetics resources.

“Over the past years, foreign GMO
chickens have been imported to the country which could affect the livelihood of
our native chickens due to their high growth rates and resistance to various
diseases,” Sho’le Qorbani said recently.

She added that we are modifying genetic traits of our
chickens in order maximize the profit of our poultry industry and preserve
their genetics resources, including commercial selected lines, indigenous
breeds, and experimental lines.

Increasing weight and number of eggs and reducing age of
sexual maturity are among the objectives of the projects, the official said.

Chickens, like almost every other animal raised for food
around the world, are the result of intense breeding aimed at emphasizing
certain characteristics that increase their profitability.