Animal Molecular Breeding 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 62-71 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 67 The implementation of genetic improvement technologies requires not only a high level of technical expertise but also complex experimental equipment and experimental conditions. These requirements make technology transfer and diffusion more difficult, especially in developing countries. Even in countries with more advanced technologies, these high-end technologies are difficult to be widely used due to the lack of corresponding technical training and support. From an economic perspective, genetic improvement projects often require long-term return on investment cycles. In the current rapidly changing market environment, such long-term investments may encounter various risks, including changes in market demand, adjustments to policies and regulations, etc. Investors and breeding companies may have doubts about the effectiveness and safety of genetic improvement technology, which further increases project uncertainty. 4.2 Ethical considerations The ethical issues brought about by genetic manipulation are also challenges that cannot be ignored. Gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 give researchers the ability to alter the genetic characteristics of poultry in extremely short periods of time, sparking ethical discussions about whether humans should interfere with the natural process of evolution. For some, the act of genetically modifying animals touches upon fundamental principles of respect for life. Public acceptance of genetically modified products is an important issue. Consumers may have doubts about consuming genetically modified poultry products and worry about their safety and health effects, which directly affects the market acceptance of genetically modified poultry products. Therefore, in addition to technology development, scientists and companies also need to invest resources in public education to eliminate misunderstandings, increase transparency, and improve public acceptance. 4.3 Future development direction Despite the challenges, future developments in genetic research and poultry breeding technology remain promising. With the continuous advancement of genome editing technology and the gradual reduction of costs, it is expected that these technologies will become more popular and their application scope will be further expanded in the future. Especially in terms of disease resistance and growth efficiency, gene editing is expected to bring breakthrough progress (Mortezaei and Tavallaei, 2021). As people pay more and more attention to animal welfare and sustainable breeding, improving the adaptability and survivability of poultry through genetic improvement and reducing dependence on antibiotics will become an important direction in future breeding. At the same time, based on consumers' requirements for food safety and quality, future genetic improvement technology will also pay more attention to product quality improvement and health attributes. Interdisciplinary collaboration will be key to advancing genetic research and poultry breeding technology. By combining expertise in genetics, bioinformatics, animal science, and other related fields, research progress can be accelerated while addressing challenges in technology implementation and market acceptance. In the future, this study also looks forward to more policies and legal frameworks to support the healthy development of genetic improvement technology, protect consumer rights, and encourage technological innovation and application. 5 Case Studies 5.1 Successful breeding cases In poultry genetic improvement projects, several successful cases have demonstrated the great potential of scientific breeding methods to improve yields, disease resistance and adaptability. For example, Torrey et al.’s (2021) broiler chicken improvement project is a typical successful case. Through selective breeding and molecular-assisted selection (MAS) techniques, scientists were able to identify key genetic markers related to growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and meat quality. After several generations of selection, the broiler chickens bred not only grow rapidly, but also have better meat quality and are better able to adapt to different feeding environments.
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