Guidelines for Acceptance of Poultry into RBTA's Priority List

Members are invited to contribute to the information gathering needed to review our priority list for poultry by considering our current priority list published elsewhere in this magazine) and making suggestions for change. This can be done by sending in the list to us and ticking off those breeds you keep or by send the list in and telling us of the breeds you know about in your area and the estimated strength of their numbers.

In May 2002, A Meeting of Species Co-ordinators proposed the following criteria, which was accepted by the Board. A new Review will occur in May 2003. Send your suggestions to either , or Fiona Chambers (the Director in charge of Species Co-ordination).

Section A: Genetic Basis

1. Has the breed existed continuously for 40 years?

2. Is the breed recognised in the current Australian Poultry Standard (we have a copy available for loan in our RBTA Library)?

3. Have other breeds contributed less than 20 percent of the genetic makeup of the breed in the last six generations?

4. Are the parent breeds used in the formation of this breed no longer available in Australia?

If the answer to 1. is affirmative, and if two or three of the other answers are affirmative, proceed to Section B. If the breed does not qualify under his section, it is not accepted unless it possesses a distinct characteristic not found elsewhere. Note: Australian Heritage breeds shall be identified in Bold in all listings.

Section B: Numerical Basis

1. A breed will be included in the lists if there are fewer than 500 breeding females in the breed. Breeds with four or fewer distinct male lines will be included on the priority list. A watching brief will be kept on breeds with six or fewer distinct male lines. (A male line is one which has no ancestors in common with another in the last four generations, i.e. up to and including great grandparents.)

2. Breed priorities will be set according to the table below. Poultry (including Waterfowl)

• Critical = <100 breeding animals
• Endangered = <200 breeding birds
• Vulnerable = < 300breeding birds
• At Risk = <500 breeding birds

Section C: Current Trends

1. Are the numbers of the breed decreasing significantly?

2. Is the breed found in fewer than four distinct units, which are more than 100km apart?

Affirmative answers to these questions may give the breed a higher priority within the list, or may even permit a breed which does not qualify otherwise to be included.

 

Last updated 8 February, 2008