Biological & Biomedical Seminar | Not so fast food: Downstream effects of artificial selection for meat production on the musculoskeletal system in turkeys, March 20

The Biological Sciences & Biomedical Sciences Research Seminar Series features Kris Stover discussing "Not so fast food: Downstream effects of artificial selection for meat production on the musculoskeletal system in turkeys"of Ohio State University on Monday, March 20, at 4 p.m. in Irvine 159 and on Teams .

Abstract: Domestic species are a key resource for understanding how differing rates of evolution in structural traits can affect functional capabilities. Domestication has altered  turkey morphology by artificially selecting for increased muscle mass and breast meat, with most modifications occurring in the past 65 years. Artificial selection has resulted in birds that weigh up to 3 times more than their wild counterparts, with relatively little change in the length of their bones and limbs. This talk will explore how selection has altered muscle form and function, mass distribution and bone support. We will discuss how this has impacted domestic turkey locomotion, as well as next steps in research for the health and welfare of this commercially important species.