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Researchers produce donor breed chicks from surrogate parents
The researchers demonstrated their approach in the white leghorn breed.

Gene-editing technique could aid animal productivity and welfare.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute have successfully produced donor breed chicks from surrogate cockerels and hens.

The outcome, achieved using gene-editing technology, could be an efficient way to transfer beneficial characteristics from one chicken to another, such as disease resistance or tolerance to warm climates. 

It could also benefit poultry production in low and middle-income countries, preserving key indigenous chicken breeds that are well suited to living in challenging conditions, researchers said. 

Dr Mike McGrew from The Roslin Institute, explains: “Chickens are the world’s most populous livestock species. The potential to preserve chicken breeds and introduce characteristics that will improve their wellbeing and productivity brings the opportunity to improve efficiency in the poultry industry and develop local breeds of chicken.”

In the study, researchers implanted sterile male and female chicken eggs with the reproductive cells from donor birds.
The resulting chickens were then mated together, with their chicks inheriting characteristics from their real parents - the donor birds taher than the surrogates - along with edited changes to their DNA.

The team demonstrated the approach by repairing a natural genetic change that causes distinctive white plumage in the white leghorn breed. The chicks born to the sterile chickens had a black plumage. 

They also used the technique to introduce a distinctive curly feather, believed to help Western African breeds cope with hot climates, into chicks bred from Light Sussex chickens, a British breed.

Professor Appolinaire Djikeng Director of the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, said: “Poultry is a key livestock animal for millions of smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. 

“Any gains in efficiency, productivity and health from introducing useful traits from other poultry breeds could significantly improve the lives of these farming families through increased food production and income.”

The findings are published in the journal, Nature Communications

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.