Breeding certain characteristics by selective procreation is perfectly
acceptable, and natural. It is in a way a form of "Genetic
Engineering", but the methods used to arrive at the genetic combinations
is natural. Breeds which breed true are "natural" even if arrived at by
man's selective breeding of particular animals. Sustainable, fertile
strains of animals and plants is the only way to long term survival.
Other tinkering with the genetics is, in my opinion, playing God. As
such, it is fraught with uncertainty, and risk.
Of course, even breeding in characteristics can prove risky as with the
honey bee.
The closer to nature we can get, the better off we are.
On Sun, 2010-08-29 at 08:58 -0700, CathrynTherese Fitch Walden wrote:
>
>
> Personally, Whether the eggs came from a cross of two breeds of
> chickens or one, is not the only sustainable means of survival. Look
> at ancient corn and corn today, and the strains considered heirloom.
> They were bred from ancient corn that does not resemble corn today to
> give more grain per ear, thus more food. If you look at several
> breeds of poultry that are considered heirloom, they were bred from
> other breeds of chickens. I've been off a few days and maybe I am
> just tired, but I feel that I keep picking up the same note of "we are
> better than _X!X#X_ because we raise our eggs and some of us our own
> meat. I do not agree with all the practices and feel strongly our
> livestock should be fed healthy food and kept in environments that are
> clean and healthy. I do know that the majority of people in the egg
> and meat business are in a labor of love and work hard for small
> profits.The farms with the salmonella eggs is also the dept of ag's
> fault, they need to make sure that the farms are tested and inspected.
> I'll get off my soap box now. Cathryn
>
> Heirloom lines are stable, well established genetics which can
> reproduce
> indefinitely. The best of all worlds is heirloom lines and organic
> growing/raising, both in plants and animals. This is the only truly
> sustainable means of survival, and should be the goal of every true
> survivalist.
>
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CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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