May 13, 2015

Hy-Line International's director for research and development, Dr. Neil O'Sullivan, spoke on new technologies, genetics improvement and hen performance at the 7th Annual Egg Industry Leadership Forum held in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, recently.

In his lecture, he presented Hy-Line's decision-making process involved in breeding hens, the measurement of traits in egg layers, the evaluation of hen performance in different environments, and the impact of new technology on breeding.

"Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger," Dr. O'Sullivan said to emphasise the relationship between the two. "Our long-term goal is to ensure our birds respond well in complex environments," he added.

Involved in the application of DNA-based technology to its breeding and genetics programme, Hy-Line International is the first company to have its own in-house molecular genetics team.