| ORIGINAL BOOK REVIEW by Dr. Rainer R. Erhardt "Well, there is help on the horizon and anyone seriously interested in color genetics should take a look at Linda Rubin's book: COCKATIEL GENETICS MADE EASY! Though this book is primarily directed to breeders of cockatiel mutations, there is enough information in this volume to teach anyone the secrets of dealing with recessive, sex-linked, and dominant mutations..." ACBM, Vol. 65, No.12 CLICK TO READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW! 112 pages, 15 chapters, glossary & more! |
Copyright 2006 Linda S. Rubin
| Multiple Bird Households by Linda S. Rubin |
| Series by Linda S. Rubin |
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| BREEDING LUTINOS & WHITEFACE LUTINOS Copyright © 2003 LINDA S. RUBIN CF Genetics Consultant/Panel Judge www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com Selected Q&A's "From My Mailbox" QUESTION I have a female Lutino cockatiel (that I was told had a Whiteface parent), and a male Whiteface Lutino cockatiel. I was warned that Lutinos should never be bred together. When I purchased my birds I was told they were both females but now I know better. My goal is to produce Whiteface Lutino babies. Should I try to separate the pair and place them with different mates? I also have three unrelated Whiteface Lutino hens and a Whiteface Pearl male. They do not show any bald spots. Thanks, Donna ANSWER Hi Donna, Whenever you select breeding stock, regardless of color, always choose birds raised from strong, healthy bloodlines. Healthy bloodlines produce birds that are free from inherent problems such as weakness, infertility, ill health, as well as lethal factors that can cripple or kill young in the shell. We usually pay a higher price for high quality breeding stock and in the long run it is worth it because you usually do "get what you pay for." Quality breeding stock are usually closed banded with a traceable band by a breeder who: 1) keeps track of each generation of offspring 2) has a planned breeding program 3) feeds an optimum diet for reproduction, and 4) rests their birds appropriately to avoid overworking and running down their stock. Now, that being said, we next have to examine the issue of color and whether there may be any associated problems in pairing particular color mutations together. Historically, the sex-linked Lutino mutation has the inherited problem of a bald spot appearing behind the crest. Fortunately, there are many breeders who have worked with Lutinos, pairing them to Normal Greys or other color mutations (with the exception of Fallow, which also has an inherited bald spot), that has helped to eradicate this fault. However, if a Lutino or Whiteface Lutino is showing a bald spot, it generally takes at least three generations to breed this fault out so that it will not visibly show in resulting offspring. If you have a pedigree card or are able to examine or question the breeder about the parents, you may want to find out whether the parents or grandparents carry any evidence of baldness. Many Lutinos in earlier years did display baldness. Often times, we need to check behind their crest, as baldness is not always visible until the crest is fully raised. If the parents or grandparents have any evidence of a bald spot, you may wish to consider this when planning to pair your birds because this fault may reappear. In this case, I would not recommend breeding Lutinos together. Because your birds are Whiteface Lutinos, you must closely examine the possibility of whether both birds of a potential pair exhibit any sign of baldness behind the crest. If there are any signs of baldness present, it would be best to outcross such birds to unrelated colors that are well feathered (especially about the head, neck and crest). You will next need to be able to produce young from these cockatiels that lack any evidence of baldness in order to continue to work with this line. Cull (sell) any faulted birds to nonbreeding homes as pets. Once you have produced young without any evidence of even the tiniest spot of baldness behind the crest, you may be able to backcross and begin to linebreed. However, you must be absolutely convinced that no baldness is evident either visually (in the phenotype), or in the split state (in the genotype), because baldness can reappear again in future offspring and you will lose the progress you made. Of course, this is the long-term plan and here I am referring to a number of generations. Fortunately, there are aviculturists concerned with quality, rather than producing quantity, and the Lutino mutation has been improved as evidenced by those exhibitors who show their large, champion, Lutino stock. If your birds are descended from such stock, you will have a head start. Similarly, the recessive Whiteface mutation has been brought up to size over the past two decades and many Whiteface mutations and its cross mutations are making top bench. In fact, a Whiteface Lutino won Best Cockatiel at the National Cage Bird Show, which demonstrates that quality and perfection can be achieved. Therefore, while there are considerations to be found in these particular color mutations, it is especially important to find stock from a reputable, reliable aviculturist whose primary interest is in the improvement of the cockatiel as a breeder, pet, and exhibition bird. It is a well-known adage that the culls of some top exhibitors can be superior to the best birds bred by those breeders who reproduce cockatiels for quantity (profit margins), rather than quality. The bottom line is - only you truly know whether your birds "measure up" and if you don't know, ask an experienced exhibitor of cockatiels to honestly evaluate your birds. An easy rule of genetics to remember is: never pair two birds together that share the same fault! The big question is, are you satisfied with the quality of your birds and do you wish these pairs to be the foundation stock of your future Whiteface-Lutino lines? If not, you may consider obtaining better quality birds from which to base your future bloodlines on. Pairing your Lutino/Whiteface hen to your Whiteface Lutino cock will produce: 25% Lutino/Whiteface cocks 25% Whiteface Lutino cocks 25% Lutino/Whiteface hens 25% Whiteface Lutino hens. Pairing your Whiteface Lutino hens to a Whiteface Pearl cock will produce: 50% Whiteface/Lutino and Pearl cocks and 50% Whiteface Pearl hens. Whichever path you choose, as long as you continue to strictly cull any chicks showing baldness (by selling them to good pet homes), you will continue to improve and keep your breeding plans on track. |
| BREEDING LUTINOS & WHITEFACE LUTINOS "ALBINOS" Copyright © 2003 Linda S. Rubin All Rights Reserved |
Copyright 2006 Linda S. Rubin
| c.2006 Suzanne Ravaillion |