Inbreeding quandry

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davlee
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Joined: 18 Jun 2015, 14:14
Location: Richmond, S.A.

I note with interest that bird species close to extinguishing are saved by breeding with very few of the remaining ones. This is often successful but must involve a great deal of inbreeding. An example of this is the orange-bellied Parrot.

Are we too obsessed with keeping our finches from inbreeding? I understand the reasons for not allowing this, but is the thinking somewhat unreliable.

Not only birds fit this category. Many animals are also saved by breeding from very small numbers.
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finchbreeder
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Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Inbreeding is a human taboo. While I commend it for the obvious reasons. Icky
The bird and animal kingdoms have no such taboos.
So lets discuss the subject logically.
What are the negatives and possatives of inbreeding.
Oh - guess what - the answer is the same. Inbreeding concentrates the genes.
GOOD genes and BAD genes.
So if the breeding stock you use has strong healthy robust genes, you will get strong healthy robust young.
If the breeding stock has weak or faulty genes you will get weak and faulty young.

Read up on the family trees of Queen Elizabeth of England and Cleopatra for some very interesting inbred family histories.
LML
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Craig52
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Location: victoria

Totally agree FB. We must remember the small flocks of birds introduced in to Australia that have flourished to the extent of being serious pests of hundreds of thousands over the years that started with only a few prs of each species.
With aviary birds being confined natural selection is impossible so we select for quality and colour so the term New Blood is used in human terms to buy new stock to boost what the breeders believe will enhance and improve their stock and the cycle goes on.
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