Is line breeding the same as inbreeding?

Is line breeding the same as inbreeding? Technically, yes!

Line Breeding is a controversial topic, but it is a method that was developed very early on to strengthen and ncrease stock numbers. 99.9% of all exhibition breeders will line breed at some stage.

All of the budgerigars outside of Australia have been line bred. Over 100 years ago Australia stopped exporting Budgerigars to the world. In order to supply budgerigars for sale in other countries, those with the stocks started to line breed because of the demand from the public.

During the second world war Britain was in short supply of food for themselves and also for their livestock, including budgies. Many other European countries were in the same position. A large number of birds were killed so that the best birds could survive. After the war the stocks had to be brought back. England couldn't get birds from Australia and were forced to inbreed to increase their numbers. To ensure that deformities from inbreeding did not occur much thought was put into the best way to go about it.

By selectively pairing the birds they found a way to strengthen and improve on the structure and health of the birds. Meanwhile in other parts of the world for the same reason they were also working on line breeding. Germany was also line breeding for improvement.

So how is it done. (Generally)

Cock D
Hen A .................... Hen B

1st year mating

Chicks .................... Chicks
Cock .... Hen ...................Cock .... Hen
Cock .... Hen ...................Cock .... Hen
Cock .... Hen ...................Cock .... Hen
Cock .... Hen ...................Cock .... Hen

2nd Year Mating

Cocks from pairing of Cock D and Hen A are mated to Hens of pairing Cock D to Hen B
Hens from pairing of Cock D and Hen A are mated to Cocks of pairing Cock D to Hen B
(Half Brother to Half Sister)

3rd Year Mating
Hens from the result are bred back to Cock D
Grandfather to Grand Daughter.


This is assuming that Cock D has really great features to start with.

Chicks from the 1st year mating will have half his genes and half from the hen.
Chicks from the 2nd year mating will only have a quarter of his genes.
Chicks from the 3rd year will have 75% his genes. This mating was ment to strengthen the strain...his strain....his line.

Other Combinations sometimes used are Uncle to Neice, Aunt to Nephew, Cousin to Cousin.

The idea is to enhance the features of the bird. Features also being health and fertility as well as visual factors.

Very few exhibition breeders will that breed brother to sister but it does occur.

NB: This topic is in no way meant to promote line breeding but to explain how and why.

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