What does the Nike swoosh and a Silver Appleyard duck have in common? Both have recognizable characteristics that tell an observer something about them. Consumers see an iconic Nike Swoosh and automatically make assumptions about the article's price, quality, and other attributes. A consumer may remember a pair of Nike shoes that they have owned and automatically make assumptions about another pair of shoes or clothing or object. The same principle applies with other symbols from other companies, and such branding is a powerful tool used by companies to influence consumer decisions.
Breed standards are another form of branding. The recognizable and classic spots of a Holstein cow will tell a cattleman something about that breed, namely that it is a dairy breed known for high production of milk. Holsteins are large, tall, and heavy milkers- when they are carefully and selectively bred. In today's cattle market, a black cow sells for higher than a red cow because it carries the black color, reminiscent of an angus' branding color. And what is an angus known for? Excellent beef. A consumer sees a black cow and automatically relates it to black angus and makes assumptions about that animal's characteristics, whether right or wrong in reality.
In today's poultry economy, there are many instances of branding gone wrong. Hatcheries will sell a duck and market it as a Silver Appleyard, but the duck will lack the breed standards of correct plumage, carriage, size, temperament, weight, feed conversion, egg laying capabilities, and/or growth rate, often leading to disappointment on the part of the consumer. Of course, there is no possible way to guarantee picture perfect birds every single time; such is the nature of the genetic lottery. However, when the vast majority of birds fail to fulfill breed potential, there is a problem.
The below photo shows four hens that were sold as "Silver Appleyards" from a large hatchery, yet not a single one of them has the correct bill color, weight, facial markings, plumage coloration, or neck stripe that would be indicative of the Silver Appleyard breed. Anyone looking at these birds would see them as just a duck and would know nothing about their capabilities as a breed. The drakes in the photo, on the other hand, were carefully selected from over 150 "Silver Appleyard" drakes on the basis of size, conformation, plumage color, and markings to retain Silver Appleyard characteristics- and they were the ONLY males out of that quantity to display the desirable characteristics and STILL fell short of breed potential in terms of weight.
The hen in the next photo is a fantastic example of a Silver Appleyard hen. She maintains the correct bill color, the stripe down the back of the neck, breed-appropriate markings, and an appropriate size for a heavy-weight heritage breed.
The lack of "quality control" in livestock means that it is really important to know from whom you are purchasing your birds. Not all hatcheries take the same pride in maintaining quality lines through careful selection and controlled breeding. A Silver Appleyard from one hatchery is not the same bird from another hatchery and is certainly not the same bird from a small-scale family-owned farm who is taking the time to carefully select for favorable and appropriate breed characteristics. Many small farmers are doing a lot of work to maintain the functionality of heritage breeds, much of which is lost in large-scale operations, which focus on egg output and quick reproductive turn-around. For dual-purpose heritage breeds, this can mean that important growth and weight characteristics are lost and selected against in favor of high output.
So the next time you make a decision to purchase stock, ask your producer what they are doing to maintain the breed. Ask people who have purchased from the producer about their experiences. Follow up with your producer with your own results, whether positive or negative. There is a lot you can do as a consumer to help preserve breeds, and the recognizability of a breed is as important as the breed's functionality.
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