Most of the turkeys gracing the nation’s dinner tables Thursday have been selectively bred for their white meat for so many generations that simply walking can be a problem for many of the big-breasted birds and sex is no longer possible. A small research team is hoping to come to the rescue, employing the latest in biotechnology to chart the genetic map of America’s favorite Thanksgiving meal and eventually alleviate the breeding problems. The idea is to identify specific genes that produce desirable traits such as salmonella resistance, strong leg muscles and, of course, big breasts. That would do away with much of the guesswork involved in traditional breeding methods as farmers try to match birds that appear to have the sought-after qualities.
