I'm starting to kick around breeding more seriously, i kindda know what genetics i want to work with. I'm seeing some hybrids around, and I'm just curious about what you guys (and gals) that have/do breed think about them. Is there enough benefit to it to entertain acquiring one or two to work with? And if so what should i look for in a hybrid?
Thank you
Scott
For a beginning breeding project I would say it's not needed. Unless you are trying to produce a line of a more wild type phenotype. They were mainly introduced into breeding lines to strengthen the blood from decades of inbreeding for mutations. The theory was at least that the fresh "wild" blood will help strengthen the lines. I don't think they've been popularized enough to prove out any benefits yet.. but they at least don't seem to be hurting anything.
I would be interested in working with a wild type line, but so far, don't see the proven benefit of introducing hybrids.
I like the idea of working with wild types, i think if we can as a community keep them truely unmanipulated then if something like that tragic wildfire that happened a couple years ago happens, we can help a wild population recover.
That would benefit us also as it would validate our community as more than just a hobby.
Thank you for the info also, if I'm successful with taking a run at breeding i very well may try working with wild types to.