Chicken breed Orlovskaya: history of creating and current stay

Abstract

The article presents current data concerning a small scale rare chicken breed Orlovskaya, which is being preserved in the bio-collection «Genetic Collection of the Rare and Disappearing Chicken Breeds» of the Russian Research Institute of Farm Animal Genetics and Breeding. In the article are used current materials for investigation of Orlovskaya breed in XX century and historical publications of the XIX century. There are highlighted history of origin of this breed and its distribution in Russia and abroad. The results of the investigations, carried out in the N.I.Vavilov Institute of General Genetics in 1988- 1994 on the base of biochemical gene markers to define genealogical connections are presented and discussed. The testing results were gained with use of transferrin polymorphism in blood serum, egg albumen and sperm. Available publications bring to conclusions, that the Orlovskaya breed originates from the old type English Game breed and Gilan breed. There is given a detailed description of the breed’s traits for cocks and hens in the Russian type of the population with satin plumage: body shape and configuration, shape of tail, description of the head exterior, including comb, cheeks, wattles, scruff, skin color, beak color and shape etc. There are listed most usual fails of body and head exterior, improper plumage color and other defects. . Short comparison of the German and Russian type of the Orlovskaya breed is given. There is outlined a further work for the breed’s traits consolidation, improvement of the head shape as the main element of exterior evaluation. The article emphasizes the problem of preservation of the small scale Orlovskaya breed and other gene pool breeds as a source of genetic diversity and cultural heritage.