Over the past few decades, the selectively bred chickens, especially those bred for meat (broilers) and eggs (layers), has changed how poultry farming works. These breeding methods have made the hens much more productive, but have also caused many health problems that damage their wellbeing. These problems are very important for animal welfare and food safety, even though they are typically ignored in searching for larger yields. This essay looks into the several health issues that selectively bred hens have, especially in the US, where raising chickens is a big business.
What you need to know about selective breeding in chickens
Selective breeding picks parent hens with certain features you want to pass on to their kids. For broilers, targeted features are faster growth, bigger body size, and more breast meat. When it comes to layers, the main thing is how well they can lay a lot of eggs. Selective breeding has made hens more prolific but has also caused several health concerns that their wild ancestors did not have.
Broilers with Obesity and Bone Problems
Obesity is one of the biggest problems for selectively bred broilers. Chickens selectively bred to grow quickly are substantially bigger than their progenitors. Some of them can achieve market weight in as little as six weeks. But this quick growth has put a lot of stress on their bodies.
Obesity(Diagnosed as Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome – FLKS): Broilers are generally raised to grow bigger, especially in the breast area, which is good for meat output. But the hens’ bones can’t handle this quick weight gain, which makes them fat. This extra fat can harm several organs, such as the heart and liver, and raise the risk of metabolic problems.
Skeletal deformities(Diagnosed as Leg Disorders and Osteoporosis): Leg abnormalities, especially lameness, are broilers’ most common skeletal problem. The hens’ bones and joints are under a lot of stress because they are too heavy, which makes them more likely to break or deform. People with gout often have leg problems, such as twisted legs or misshapen feet.
Problems with the heart and blood flow
Because selectively bred chickens develop so quickly, their heart and circulatory condition generally worsens. The heart has to work harder to supply oxygen and nutrients to the tissues that are expanding quickly, and in many situations, it just can’t keep up.
Heart failure(Diagnosed as Sudden Death Syndrome – SDS): Broilers are especially at risk for heart illness, and sudden death syndrome (SDS), which is commonly caused by heart failure, is one of the most common. This ailment can happen out of the blue, especially when the chicken is growing quickly, and it can kill the chicken immediately.
Cardiomyopathy(Diagnosed as Dilated Cardiomyopathy): Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens the heart muscles, making it more difficult for the heart to circulate blood well. Well. Chickens selectively bred are more likely to get cardiomyopathy because of the stress on their hearts.
Problems with breathing
Breeding methods that focus on quick growth have also led to respiratory problems in hens. Factory farms are generally quite congested, which makes these problems worse.
Respiratory infections(Diagnosed as Avian Influenza, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and Infectious Bronchitis):: Chickens kept in small spaces are more likely to get respiratory diseases such as avian influenza, infectious bronchitis, and Mycoplasma gallisepticum. These illnesses are very contagious and can spread quickly on a farm.
Air sacculitis(Diagnosed as Air Sac Disease): Air sacculitis occurs when the air sacs in a chicken’s respiratory system get inflamed. That can happen because of bacterial infections or bad ventilation in poultry buildings. This problem is more likely to happen to selectively bred hens, often housed in too few spaces.
Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) : Broilers are more likely to get this disease if raised in damp, poorly ventilated spaces. Bacteria, dust, and bad air quality cause it, which makes you cough all the time, have a runny nose, and have trouble breathing.
Problems with digestion
Chickens have also had stomach problems because of selective breeding, especially regarding how fast they grow.
Gastrointestinal problems : Broilers, in particular, often have gastrointestinal problems, including ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen), because they acquire weight quickly. In severe circumstances, this can make you uncomfortable, make it hard to breathe, and even kill you.
Clogged crop (Diagnosed as Crop Impaction): The crop is a pouch in a chicken’s throat where food is kept briefly before digestion. Overfeeding and a bad diet can block the crop, which can be painful and lead to infection.
Problems with reproduction in laying hens
Breeding layers has mostly been about getting as many eggs as possible, although this has often hurt the chickens’ ability to reproduce.
Egg binding(Diagnosed as Oviparous Dysfunction): When a hen can’t get an egg out of her reproductive system, she has egg binding. This condition hurts and can kill you if you don’t get help right away. It happens more often in hens who lay many eggs because the stress on their reproductive systems makes them more likely to get it.
Ovarian cysts and other reproductive tract issues: Hens raised for high egg production may get ovarian cysts and other problems with their reproductive tract. These issues can be painful, lower egg production, and even kill you in the worst situations.
Loss of bone density: Laying hens sometimes have osteoporosis since they have to lay eggs. The hen’s calcium stores can run low if she keeps laying eggs, making her bones weaker and more likely to break.
Weakness of the immune system
When chickens are selectively bred for production, they often miss out on the genetic diversity that makes them less likely to get sick. Because of this, hens that have been selectively bred are more likely to get sick with infections.
Immunosuppression: Selectively bred chickens have less genetic diversity, which can make them more susceptible to illnesses. It is especially bad on crowded, stressed farms, where diseases can spread quickly.
Diseases resistant to vaccines: Because selectively bred hens have less robust immune systems, their immune systems are more likely to get strains of some diseases that are resistant to vaccines. That makes it harder to control diseases and makes antibiotics more necessary, which might cause problems with antibiotic resistance.
Problems with behaviour and mental health
Factory farms’ fast growth and poor living conditions affect the hens’ mental and emotional health. Chickens are sociable animals who need friends and something to do, but the industrial poultry setting doesn’t always provide these things.
Cannibalism and feather pecking: When anxious, chickens could start picking at each other’s feathers. That is called cannibalism. In extreme circumstances, this can lead to cannibalism, which is when chickens pick at and devour the flesh of other chickens. Often, this behaviour is caused by being too crowded, bored, or not having anything to do.
Stress-related disorders(Diagnosed as Chronic Stress Syndrome): Chickens can get chronic stress from being kept in small spaces and being locked up for long periods. Stress can hurt their health in general, lower their immune system, and make them more likely to get sick.
Resistance to antibiotics
The use of antibiotics in poultry farming is another concern intimately tied to the health of selectively bred hens. Antibiotics are often added to poultry feed to help manage illnesses and speed growth. This practice can make people more productive, but it can also cause microorganisms to become antibiotic-resistant.
Antibiotic resistance(Diagnosed as Antimicrobial Resistance – AMR): Using too many antibiotics in poultry farming can develop antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. These bacteria can then be passed on to people who eat chicken products. That is a big risk to public health because illnesses that don’t respond to medicines are tougher to treat.
Superbugs: The abuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of “superbugs,” which are germs resistant to more than one type of antibiotic. These superbugs are a big danger to people’s health because they can cause diseases that are hard or even impossible to treat.
In conclusion
Selective breeding has made it possible to raise many chickens, which has helped meet the world’s need for meat and eggs. But this fast growth has hurt the health and wellbeing of the chickens themselves. Selective breeding of hens leads to a lot of serious health concerns, such as obesity, bone abnormalities, respiratory troubles, digestive diseases, and reduced immune systems. To fix these problems, we must reassess how we produce animals, emphasise their wellbeing, and improve farm conditions. Also, cutting down on antibiotics and ensuring that disease control procedures are better will be important for the health of the hens and those who eat their products.
As people learn more about these problems, they want better farming methods that put animal welfare first and reduce the need for antibiotics. It may be important for the poultry business in the US to find a way to combine productivity with the health of the animals on which it depends to have a future.