Avian genetic stocks: the high and low points from an academia researcher

Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis 95616, USA. medelany@ucdavis.edu

Poultry genetic resources, which are valuable for research, span an impressive gamut from breeds to highly specialized inbred lines. The community of scientists utilizing specialized lines is broad, including researchers in medicine, basic biology, and agricultural science. The majority of specialized research lines used by such scientists are held at land grant universities. Over the prior 2 decades, hundreds of lines were eliminated. This pattern continues today with no evidence of abatement. Awareness and visibility of the causes and ongoing problems have been highlighted via a number of high-profile forums. Given the large community of scientists and the negative impact on future advances in biological, medical, and agricultural research as these genetic resources dwindle, the issue is of national interest and warrants federal funding to support a united network of avian and poultry stocks centers.

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