The purpose of line crossing
Generally speaking, linecrossing is the practice of mating animals that are of the same breed, but from different lines. In gamefowl breeding, however, it could be the mating between individuals of the same strain but are not related. Example is Lacy Rh x Boston Rh. Or Boston rh of breeder A and Boston rh of breeder B.
It should be remembered that the popular bloodlines of gamefowl like the roundheads, hatches, sweaters, kelsos, greys, brownreds, blacks and others are not breeds but strains of the breed American Game. Now, in gamefowl breeding when a breeder crosses strains of the same breed, it is already called cross breeding, not line crossing as it should be. Example is Hatch x Claret or Sweater x Butcher.
Whichever kind of linecrossing we do, the purpose remains the same. Linecrossing in gamefowl breeding is mating of two individuals belonging to the same strain, and thus, sharing many common traits of the strain. But since they are not related to each other, the degree of inbreeding coefficient is virtually zero. So with careful selection, a gamefowl breeder could keep the desirable common traits minus the risk associated with inbreeding and linebreeding.
Linecrossing likewise preserves genetic diversity within a specified population. It tends to keep a wide variety of gene pool within the population, even if its numbers are low. Thus, the resulting hybrid vigor imparts to the offspring desirable traits.
The main disadvantage of linecrossing is subsequent variability. Because of the broad genetic diversity unlike genes are often paired resulting in a certain level of instability.
This is why gamefowl breeding is uncertain. Most gamefowl breeders produce battle fowl by linecrossing or outright crossbreeding. The inherent genetic variability will result in some excellent battlefowl, some that are merely average, and some that are of awful quality.
What is important is understanding the purpose. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the different modes of breeding.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
