Breeding siblings

sarahp

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Hi all - long time no see :-D

I just got a super gorgeous little Burmese kitten on Friday, and I chose a reputable breeder, their cats win plenty of awards, one of the breeders is heavily involved in the running of the state showing association, the cat area was clean and well set up etc.

I looked at the kitten's paperwork on Saturday and realised his parents are siblings... I emailed the breeder and he said it was part of their line breeding program, and they were both genetically testing before the mating took place.

I hate to doubt them, but I didn't think inbreeding would be encouraged?? I didn't see any other siblings anywhere else in the lineage.

Is this normal for breeders to have select breeding of siblings?

Thanks :)
 

marsch21

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I breed Ragdolls.  We have a good diversity in the gene pool so line breeding is not necessary in most cases.  

A breeder must know their lines well.  When you line breed, you increase homozygous alleles in the DNA thus locking in traits.  These can be positive or negative traits.  Typically a daughter would be bred back to the father or a son back to the mother.  When breeding siblings they share 100% of the DNA from both sides.  To me that is very risky.
 

StefanZ

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Line breeding / alike, yes, its risky and nothing for an ignorant hangaround nor a wannabe.

Yet, essentielly the same was done when almost all of our modern breeds were constructed.  Its just a few who are based a broad gene pool from beginning.  These coming from natural breeds.    All constructed breeds had come in the beginning from just a few individuals who were interbred.

I suspect its somewhat alike the rules of ethics.  You know, black shoes to black suit, brown shoes are a no no.  And definitely no colored sport sneakers.   BLACK sport sneakers may pass, but none else.

And white sport socks are immediately picking you up as ignorant, or at the very best, a poor guy who doesnt even have any decent socks.  (There are surely similiar rules for women clothes, I imagine. )

Yet, some well equipped guys do break against thers rules.  How come?   To break against rules, you must know exactly what these rules are, and why you are doing it.

If so, you will be forgiven, and may even be accepted as the new mode setter.

While if you are just ignorant, you will be mocked, laughed at, and mentioned as a warning example to everyone who bothers to listen.

A little of the same is modern arts.   Practically anybody can slab down some colors.  But it will not be recognized as big art if you not at other occasions proved you CAN paint beatifully alike any good decoration painter.   Picasso did, for example.  Its first when you had proven yourself elsewhere, you can prove these slabs of  color was of your chosen will, because your own decision and your fancy, not because you couldnt do anything better...

(I know there are these monkeys whose slabs of color are sold for good money,  but they are really exceptions who prove the rule).
 
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sarahp

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Thanks for the advice! Glad to hear it IS something that's done - they said they did all the genetic testing first, and I did my research to find someone reputable. I'd hate to think they were actually dodgy! He's a super cute little guy and part of the family - everything I wanted in a kitten :)
 
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