Page 32 - SOMOS FOA #7
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Unfortunately, articles by his hand are hard relies on the circumstance that the progeny
to find, and at best the Italian original or a at least carries the desired attributes of the
Spanish translation is available. In addition, ancestors genetically. Only in that manner, a
the grammar, which in Italy is already more line is formed over the years that gradually,
flowery than in the Netherlands, demonstra- after rigorous exclusion of unwanted spe-
tes his academic background. In these arti- cimens, becomes more and more homoge-
cles, the term “selection” is regularly encoun- neous.
tered.
Uniformity, i.e. the progressive, categorical
A clarification of the special meaning of this and phenotypic exclusion of unwanted genes
term is given in another article by prof. Zin- from the genome of the selected stock, is en-
goni, in which he explains, for the example of hanced with successive generations, and an
the Fiorino, the advantages of consanguinity increasingly homogeneous line is formed. In
or inbreeding. His views are rather straight, case of the Fiorino, one of these unwanted
but they have led to the creation of a new genes must have been the recessive smooth
and popular canary variety. Therefore, I do feathering of the initial crested Gloster Fancy.
not want to withhold them from you.
In this context, Zingoni uses the term “line”
Partially in my own words, and with some while we might prefer “strain”, to avoid con-
extra clarification, it amounts to this. In the fusion with conventional linebreeding, which
choice of the canaries to be hybridized, one is (too) often followed in the low countries,
needs to stay as close as possible to the en- and which is definitely not applicable in this
visaged standard. For the pairing described case. To enable the continuation of such a
above, this implies starting with birds that strain development, I would personally start
are optimally small. with at least two unrelated Northern Frills
and two unrelated Gloster Fancies.
The Northern Frills need to have massive fea-
thering, and the Gloster Fancies need to be For such a combination, multiple breeding
short and squat, with a full, properly formed schemes have been described that allow
tuft. Only then, there is hope that part of the- going ahead for at least five years, without
se characteristics will remain after hybridiza- re-blooding. An adequate description is out-
tion. side the scope of the present discussion, and
would require producing one or more sepa-
As mentioned above, the Gibber that was rate papers. To follow such a scheme correct-
crossed in later had a minimum length. The ly, a sizeable number of free breeding cages
birds from the strain then had to supply the must be available, which explains Zingoni’s
other desired properties. After the first cros- remark about the reasonableness of his ori-
sings, breeding must be continued in a family ginal plan.
context, since absolute consanguinity is the
only road to success. In doing so, the breeder The importance that Zingoni attached to in-
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32 Federación Ornitológica Argentina
