Around 1960, selective breeding programs revolutionized broiler chicken genetics, dramatically reducing time to market weight through faster growth. Innovations by companies like Arbor Acres enhanced efficiency in poultry production. This agricultural advance supported global food supply but raised welfare questions explored in contemporary writing.

The revolution in broiler genetics in 1960 highlighted themes of efficiency and progress in modernist poetry. Poets like Ted Hughes examined the implications of technological advancements on nature and humanity, often questioning the moral dimensions of such progress.