Genetic Parameters of Foot Pad Dermatitis and Body Weight in Broilers
Researchers based in Edinburgh found a genotype × environment interaction for four purebred lines in two environments in terms of the incidence of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). They did not find close genetic associations between FPD and bodyweight but they report that selection against FPD in a highly biosecure environment can improve the genetic merit for birds reared under commercial conditions.