ESTABLISHING A BREEDING PLAN By Kenny Troiano A breeding plan is nothing more than a list of future goals written into a series of steps. The most successful breeders know the value of breeding plans and follow them. Most plans cover a period of five or six years, and are constantly revised. But the end goal is always the same - for the creation and improvement of their strain. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the importance of setting long range and short range goals. I will also discuss the importance of writing your plans on paper and following those plans. I hope this information helps you to create and improve your family of fowl, as it has mine. Set long range goals: Ask yourself, what do I want to accomplish with your fowl? Are you interested in creating your own strain? Maybe it’s to improve the strain you already have? All strains can be improved to some degree, and writing out an improvement plan is key to a successful breeding program. Start by writing down a series of steps that will allow you to accomplish these goals. For instance, plan out each line-breeding program for the next five years, and plan an outcrossing program at the end of those five years. Most breeders fail because they are not properly prepared at the end of their line-breeding program. They have not established multiple lines within the family, and they reached the dreaded “dead end zone.” Not having a second line to outcross to, their only option was to breed outside the family. Soon all their hard work was gone with the introduction of outside blood. Don’t let this happen to you. (I cover this in more detail in volume two) If it’s the creation of a strain, then we are talking about a very long term goal, because the development of a well-bred strain will take a minimum of five years, and could take ten to 15 years until you are pleased with the results. That’s’ not including what it takes to maintain that strain well into the future. So be patient. As long as you start with good solid “Seed Fowl” (P1 broodfowl), and select potential broodfowl properly (foundation fowl F1, F2, F3 etc.), you’ll do great! Make sure to be realistic and practical, and don’t bite off more than you can chew. The last thing you want to do is become discouraged because your goals are too big or unachievable. Set short term goals: Once you have figured out your long-range goals, break them down into short term goals. For example, make plans for the following breeding season by deciding which cocks will be bred to each individual hen(s). Decide which traits need improving, and plan your matings accordingly. By expecting specific results you will be able to set a quality-line. If a bird falls below that line don’t breed it. Cull any bird that does not meet your expectations and every year raise your line a notch higher. The importance of following a well laid out plan: One of the biggest mistakes most breeders make, especially beginners, is to breed desirable qualities “out” of the family by mistake. They concentrate so much of their effort into the perpetuation of certain traits and characteristics, only to lose another, maybe a more important trait. This usually happens due to a misunderstanding of genetic inheritance, such as dominant and recessive traits. Concentrate on one trait at a time, but be careful not to mess up the other traits that you’ve worked so hard to perfect. Although, not all improvements are from good inheritance, sometimes it’s due to farm management skills and chance, such as favorable mutations and variations which can arise at any time. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this when the opportunity arises. Remember, variations make selection possible, and selection makes improvement possible. Once you have made the decision to create your own strain, the following steps may consist of breeding cock “A” to Hen “B” - then the following year breeding cock “A” to his daughters, and breed Hen “B” to her son(s), and later to their granddaughters and grandsons. As your plan expands, so does your family of fowl. Soon it becomes a family of multiple lines, and your plan includes breeding line “A” to line “B”, and line “C” to line “D” (outcross), and back to line-breeding again. In order to become successful in maintaining or creating your own strain, it would be extremely helpful to write out your breeding plan on paper. Make a list of long range goals written out into a series of steps. These steps should include: Starting with the best available Seed Fowl (P1 broodfowl). Your breeding goal will depend on the quality of the breeders you start with Plan your goals at least five years in advance. It’s always a good idea to look far into the future when making out your goals and plans Carefully breed your fowl to meet those goals, by selecting fowl that have individual superiority and good linage. If you have an individual that looks good but has a poor family history, don’t breed it! The bad genes will most likely be passed onto the offspring Keep accurate records of your breeding and their ancestry. The worst thing you could ever do is not learn from past results, good or bad Mark chicks properly (by toe punching, and using leg and wing bands) to keep track of them and their family line. Knowing each individual bird, and where they came from is the key to a successful breeding program And most importantly, make sure to cull anything that does not meet your expectations, especially defects, and I mean cull ruthlessly! Note of interest: There are two kinds of breeders, those who breed for quantity and those who breed for quality. To be successful, make sure you’re the breeder who looks for the superior individuals, and strives for quality at all times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to hatch a lot of offspring, but only so that you can properly select the best individuals. Having a large percentage of available offspring from which you can select gives you a huge advantage. But this also means you must cull harder to maintain a higher quality. The more heavily you can cull, the better the quality of broodfowl you will have. If properly selected, your fowl will be the best, genetically, from all the rest.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:37:22 +0000