Breeding for fighting ability
Fighting ability is the most important function of game fowl. Some of the desirable fighting traits are cutting ability, gameness, intelligence, agility and speed.
Breeding for fighting ability is the most complex job of a gamefowl breeder. For centuries breeding for fighting characteristics had been done mostly by trial and error, without scientific principles to guide the old-time breeders. Now, the situation is much better.
Today breeders can be guided by genetic principles that make the task simpler and more accurate. Advances in genetics has taken away much of trial and error from gamefowl breeding. However, when it comes to fighting ability, it is still the subjective assessment of the experienced breeder that counts most. But there are now helpful scientific principles.
By making use of these principles, we might be able to formulate some kind of a template or pattern for breeding for fighting ability. For example we at RB Sugbo have classified fighting characteristics into three groups. In the first kind are the traits that will naturally manifest in gamefowl. These traits traits can be easily inherited from the hen. Especially, in cases that have something to do with sex- related causes such as sex linked, sex-influenced, sex-determined factors and mitochondrial inheritance.
Then are traits that will naturally manifest in their wild form, but need complementary efforts by the breeder to enhance. These traits are essential in the wild, but to a different degrees from what are required in surviving cock fights. These traits should be enhanced in both the male and female sides of the matings.
Finally there are mutations that are not necessary for survival of chicken in the wild but vital for survival of gamefowl in the pit. It is the task of the breeder to put these traits and maintain in the bloodline. These traits can only be observed from the roosters during actual fights, thus, should be emphasized in the brood cock.
Every breeder aspires for all these three types of heritable fighting traits, in their enhanced state, to be present in his bloodline. Some bloodlines exhibit a higher degree of expression in one class of traits than the others, however, a good breeder always see to it that all three are present in good grade in his bloodlines. That is why blending of two or more bloodlines is often necessary, because a breeder will want to have these 3 types of traits adequately-balanced in his battle fowl.
Crossing bloodlines is actually blending desirable traits not mixing bloodline names as often the case. It is also a matter of knowing why and what traits to add to this bloodline or to that. It is not as simple as saying ¾ of roundhead and ¼ hatch will make good chickens. Or bred back to parent or mate brother and sister to lock the genes.
It is in this aspect that the advantage of a true breeder over a “mater” is apparent. This is also what makes gamefowl breeding more challenging than breeding the other types of chickens such as for hobby, or for eggs, or for meat.
We are not yet ready to completely divulge our findings along this line. The point of this article is just that learning some science makes gamefowl breeding simpler and allow you to attain your goal faster. It also makes breeding more enjoyable. As, you cannot fully enjoy something you are ignorant of.
It is worth noting, however, that in gamefowl breeding there is no finish line. You can never complete the course. There are so many unexpected variations along the way. Knowledge in scientific breeding is just an advantage of progressing on a paved, smoother way. It is by no means a way of becoming perfect.
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