Line Breeding

Hi guys I was wondering how many generations can I do line breeding before bringing in new blood?

Francois

I wish I had an answer for you... But if you don't mind I will ask a couple of questions too because I was about to make a thread about this too. So simply how do you get started.

FRANCOIS said:

Hi guys I was wondering how many generations can I do line breeding before bringing in new blood?

Francois

Click to expand...

Hi ! ,
It's a great question and has been answered by an elite poultry man named Wid Card. He created the White Laced Red Cornish fowl . Was noted for his ability to make complex genetics simple. Wid would travel to the poultry shows where he could be found discussing genetics with learners. Wid was very much into the Laws, not opinions, concerning breeding. He wrote a wonderful, pithy little book on the subject, full of timeless wisdom. These are valuable Laws. If this happens then that will absolutely happen. As a side note, Wid was Danne Honour's uncle's, Uncle. The apple sure didn't fall far from the tree there. Danne is an elite Buff Leghorn breeder, complier of poultry lit in DVD form, and Dean of all things related to the color Buff. We are fortunate Wid's book was scanned online and we are able to read it here:
Laws governing the breeding of standard fowls. c.1
( with linebreeding chart)
By Card, Wetherell Henry. Published 1912
http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.087299559;view=1up;seq=5
Best Success,
Karen and the Light Sussex
in western PA, USA

As you scan the lit on outcrossing/strain-crossing, I think you will find :
1. Bring in new blood from a related strain. A strain-cross,
not an outcross. ( Wid will explain why.)
2. There should be no more than 1/4 foreign blood in the
strain-cross. That should help to keep your gene pool
stable in spite of the plethora of sex-linked genes in poultry.
3. Bring in the strain-cross thru the female side.
If the strain-cross doesn't nick, one has not polluted their
whole flock with the strain-cross blood.
Best,
Karen
"Haphazard is the gambler’s chance throw; investigation,
study and method mean knowledge and surety. Haphazard
is a paint-filled brush thrown at random on a canvas with
an ugly blot the result. When reason and intelligent deductions
direct the brush a beautiful picture appears."
Wid Card "Breeding Laws" 1912

The thesis behind Wid Card's book , quoting:
"The laws of Mendel, Galton and Darwin are
too highly scientific for the average breeder.
The many ramifications of the recessive and dom-
inant are dark and devious ways which lead the
beginner or the mind not scientifically trained
into a wilderness of conjecture and the morass
of perplexity, confounding and confusing all efforts
into an aimless circle which ends only in failure.
Throughout all these pages it is my purpose to
avoid all semblance of thought, methods or laws
which the ordinary breeder and average fancier
cannot easily understand and apply for his bet-
terment. Mendelism may be the true solution
of the breeding problem and can perhaps be suc-
cessfully used and applied with far reaching re-
sults by one scientific enough to understand its
premises. For the average fancier to delve into
the scientific mysteries of Mendelism is like chas-
ing the rainbow for the pot of gold.
By using common sense reasoning in the study
and application of nature’s laws, with wide open
eyes, as cause and effect unroll in plain and under-
standable formation in the reproduction and evo-
lution of all animal life. the diamonds Of a materi-
al success are unearthed. Therefore we present a
surer and safer method for the average breeder or
fancier, because devoid of technical terms and en-
tangling ideas and premises, so confusing and ob-
scure to the common man.
Be it far from me to decry the value of Mendel-
ism or any deep scientific delving into the mys-
teries of life by men who devote their lives to an
earnest, honest search after the truth. I simply
state a fact when I say that these higher sciences
are as an unknown language of high sounding
words which convey no meaning to the average
breeder. It is also a fact that the majority of
successful breeders the world over are those who
have built and bred on the safe ground of common
sense reasoning as applied to animal breeding; a
sort of a science which produces, protects and pre-
serves by its very simplicity."
Wid Card , "Breeding Laws" Pages 11, 12.

wrong forum

Thanks for the advice and info guys!