How to breed winning lines
There are primary traits that are linked to most winning bloodlines of game fowl. this article points out these traits. along with secondary traits that have less correlation to winning percentage. Read this and be able to set your breeding goals intelligently (editor's note).
Establishing Goals
John Purdy
In my opinion, establishing goals or objectives is the most important part of the breeding program. Goals for a gamefowl breeding program are probably most easily measured in terms of the winning percentage of the offspring (progeny testing).
Having a breeding goal that is quantifiable, or can be measured,assists the breeder when evaluating the success of the specific matings and the bloodlines used in the breeding program. However, there are many factors that contribute to the winning percentage.
For example, age, conditioning, weapon used (style, set, quality of steel), the level of the competition and even luck all have a very significant impact on the outcome of a contest. For this reason, I think it is important to include specific traits as goals in addition to a desired winning percentage. This is because certain traits (primarytraits) are correlated to higher winning percentages, and if the fowl produced posses these traits, the chances of success in the pit will increase.
Examples of primary traits linked to winning bloodlines include cutting ability,fighting style, strength, speed, body size and type, station, spur alignment,bone size, disposition, and gameness. Other traits (secondary traits)such as eye color, feather color and condition, leg color, and comb type are important but tend to have a weaker or no correlation to winning percentage.
In order to establish traits as goals, it is necessary to group the traits in order of importance. The most important traits should receive the most attention (selection intensity) in the breeding program. More rapid progress can be made by focusing the breeding program on one or few traits.
However, this tends to cause a decline or lack of progress in other areas, so a cautious and balanced approach is needed. A breeding program that is balanced will tend to make slower initial progress, but in the long term will out perform a breeding program based on intensive selection for a limited number of traits. (Breeding Concepts and ConsiderationsBy John W. Purdy © 2003)
