Strategies for the Rapid Introgression of a Specific Gene Modification into a Commercial Poultry Flock from a Single Carrier

Several breeding strategies are presented that will yield lines of chickens that are homozygous for a specific genetic modification originating in one heterozygous individual. The strategies can be executed in 2 to 4 yr without significantly increasing inbreeding or relatedness and without impeding progress in conventional traits of economic importance. The strategies require the application of routine DNA analysis and can be expedited by the application of DNA fingerprinting technology to identify the overall genotype of individuals.