How to breed for fighting traits you want

Fighting ability is the most important function of game fowl. Breeding for fighting ability is the most complex job of a gamefowl breeder. Some of the desirable fighting traits are cutting ability, gameness, intelligence, agility and speed.

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, inluding for fighting ability. There are now helpful scientific principles. By making use of these principles, we for example, 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. These include 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 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. The breeder should see to it that these mandatory traits should be found in the brood cock.

The three classes of traits are:

1. essential wild type or the natural. This can be naturally inherited from as good hen.

2. Improvable wild type. These are traits that should be present in both the brood cock and the hen to accomplish complementarity.

3. Mandatory mutation or changes that the breeder should put. These traits should be present in the brood cock.

Learn real breeding. Enrol with Advanced Breeding Academy. Just PM RBS Premiumon FB.