Brianpollo : a 2011-2013 Lombardy project for the standardization and valorization of Brianzolo chicken breed

Brianpollo is a research project funded by Regione Lombardia aimed to standardize and valorize Brianzolo chicken, a traditional Lombardy breed for non-conventional rearing systems. The project has started in 2011 with a historical survey on the presence of Brianzolo chicken in the Lombardy region, in order to draw the breed standard traits to be achieved through a selection process: six genetic lines will be selected, each one constituted of 1 male (white Leghorn) and 2 females (New Hampshire). The following seven generations will be reared and morphologically selected to obtain the Brianzolo standard. For a better exploitation of the breed, F1, F4, and F6 generations will be used to study the chemical, physical, sensory, and nutritional characteristics of the meat, also in comparison with commercial broilers. Moreover, the same generations will be evaluated for social and aggressive behavior. EggMeat Symposia 2011 c-097 The most innovative aspects of this project are the increase of biodiversity, according to one of the main topics of the Milan World Expo 2015, and the answer to consumer requirements for a sustainable production (km 0), and low-fat and healthy foods.