RB Sugbo Gamefowl Technology: Of Ponkans and Other Sugbos

RB Sugbo GT: A commitment

“Measured against the eternity, our time on earth is just a blink of an eye. But the consequence of it will last forever. The deeds of this life are destiny of the next” --- Rick Warren in his book the Purpose Driven Life.

The above quotation is in dedication to a friend who passed away a few years ago. Ernesto “Erning”Panuncillo. To us, who had known him well, he was more than just a dedicated sabungero. Ever helpful to anybody who needed his expertise; he was extremely honest; and selfless, almost to a fault, he was indeed an epitome of a Filipino cocker.

We called each other “Sanga”(partner in Cebuano).We were more than just cocking buddies. We were life-long friends— like brothers indeed.

He was always helping me in my cocking ventures. When I decided to go full blast with breeding some years back, he helped me sourced out top breeding materials.

It was because of him that I was able to acquire the patriarch of all the RB Sugbo ponkan lines -- my favorite brood cock “Ponkan,” an EDL/Excellence sweater, who at the time was otherwise,definitely not for sale in the hands of his brother Arthur, proprietor of the cockers and agrivet product distribution chain,Pacific Barato.

Most of all, he was the one who first mentioned my name to publisher Manny Berbano. It led to my writing for Pit Games and Llammado magazines, an opportunity I cherished most.

Because of my knowing Manny I was able to acquire more top-quality imported and local materials; and, met in person, distinguished breeders, and legends of our time. And, because of Pit Games and Llammado, I gained new friends and customers from as far as the Ilocos regions in the north, and Basilan in the south, not to mention the many others outside the country. These things, I owed to Sanga.

Erning was also instrumental to the mission-vision of RB Sugbo chicken venture. Sanga had repeatedly told me: “Breed for the common sabungeros, the ordinary cockers and small time breeders who have neither the access nor the means to acquire expensive fowl. And, don’t just sell them chickens, also afford them technology.”

His idea was that we will not just breed and sell fowl but also take active part in technology transfer, thus the name RB Sugbo Gamefowl Technology.

On our part, with right technology, we could produce more good chickens at much lower cost. Therefore,we could priced our fowl at a level affordable to the common sabungeros.

Now, RB Sugbo Gamefowl Technology is committed to helping the common sabungeros.

RB Sugbo breeds quality fowl affordable to the common sabungero. It is also engaged in the transfer of gamefowl technology, for as economically as possible. RB Sugbo GT has been doing this since 2003 . RB Sugbo is constantly into research on the different aspects of cockfighting such as selection, handling, conditioning, pointing, and effective knife designs.

Since 2007, it has been totally committed to helping Masang Nagmamanok (MANA) Inc., a nationwide movement championing the cause of the common sabungeros.

Sugbo bloodlines such as the Ponkans and Sugbo Lemons, priced well within the reach of the common sabungero,are holding their own against respectable opposition.

RB Sugbo publications are also well circulated among the common sabungeros, mainly through MANA. It also conducts seminars, trainings and at-farm-hands -on and/or on-line technology transfer.

RB Sugbo GT is also technical and marketing consultant to a number of upstart breeders in the Philippines. Founder Rey Bajenting is also founder of MANA, writer in Pit Games and LLammado Magazines, Editor of Dyaryo Larga and founding director of Central Visayas Breeders Association (CVBA).

Monday, September 15, 2008

Of Ponkans and Other Sugbos

Written for and published in
Pit games Magazine
Secrets I learned from the Masters
By Rey K. Bajenting
RB Sugbo Gamefowl Technology

After I wrote in Pit Games No. 6 that I breed and sell cocks, queries and orders started to pour in. Some of the queries elicited answers that might turn out useful and informative to fellow cockers. Thus, I decided to share the following with you.

Q. What is the difference between infusion and intervention as you wrote in your article “The Sugbos” in Pit Games No. 6?
A As I understand infusion is adding a new blood to your existing bloodline, and then, slowly breeding the new blood out until only a quarter, an eight or a sixteenth remained. The object is to achieve slight genetic variation that will serve as a shot in the arm to your existing bloodline, without regard whether or not the phenotype of the new blood will manifest. Mostly, you would rather that the new phenotype does not show. Intervention, on the other hand, is a termed I coined to denote the introduction of a certain phenotype that you want manifested in your existing bloodline. For example, in developing my Blakliz, I injected the brown red blood into my sweaters and then I slowly bred out the brown red blood by continuing the in-breeding program of the same sweater blood yet maintaining the brown red plumage. It is sort of an intervening move at some point of your in-breeding program to introduce a certain trait you wanted manifested in your existing bloodline.

Q. What is this bloodline of yours called Ponkans?
A. They are a family of sweaters. I called them ponkans because I called the original sweater brood cock from EDL/Excellence of Doc. Ayong Lorenzo by the name ponkan. I started by mating ponkan with one of the original hens of the trio. Then by repeatedly breeding back to ponkan producing 3/4s. 7/8s and 15/16s of ponkan. In every generation I try to lock the genes by selective brother-sister mating. I hope to proceed with the bro-sister matings to produce sub families of ponkan 3/4s, ponkan 7/8s and ponkan 15/16s which I could, in the future, out breed to one another.

Q. You are breeding the Aguirre greys, what do you like in them?
A. Before I acquire the aguirre greys of Mayor Juancho Aguirre and that of his nephew Mark, I was already observing the performance of these greys. And, in my humble opinion the Aguirre greys are the best greys for the long knife. Perhaps, because Mayor Juancho bred and designed his greys precisely for the long knife. The AGs are smart, excellent cutters, high flyers, much quick for a grey and, game as greys should be.

Q. You sell the sugbos at relatively low prices, does this mean they are not at par with the best?
A. Like the top-quality birds of top breeders, the Sugbos come from splendid bloodlines acquired from the originators themselves or their agents. They are hen-brood and free-ranged, and then long corded. Indeed they are hardened and provided with proper nutrition every step of the way. With all the technology we put unto them, the sugbos have the makings of the best there is. If, however, they could not compare with the birds of the other big name breeders, then it could only be due to my own limitations as a breeder with less experience than the others. We are doing our best, though, to enable the Sugbos to compete as equal in any pit against the best.

Q. You wrote that your birds have to pass a strict selection process in their fighting ability. What fighting traits do you look for in a cock?
A. Since we are fighting in the long knife, I regard cutting ability more than gameness; quickness more than power; timing more than speed; and intelligence more than staying power. And, an ace cock does not have a particular fighting style. It is not a flyer, it is not a grounder, it is not a shuffler, it is not a counter puncher. But when, circumstances demand, it could be any or all of the above.

Q. Do you single mate?
A. Yes, I always do for my inbreds and those that I breed to breed. There should be no doubt as to the pedigree of the fowl you use for breeding.

Q. What about for your battle crosses?
A. For battle crosses we use the yard mating. Of course, with the trap-nest method. For example last season in producing our ponkan crosses, we had four yards, each with six hens. Two lemon guapo hens, 2 lemon 84 hens, and 2 roundhead hens, Then we threw one ponkan brood cock into each of the yards. Since we use trap nests we could mark accurately to the last egg. With the system we could identify not only which bloodlines cross well with the ponkans but also which particular hens crossed well with which particular brood cock. Out of the 24 variations, we had identified 7 super nicks. These nicks will all be repeated this year. There were four total flops. They will be discarded. In addition we have discovered that the ponkans generally blended well with the 84s. So this year we will apply the reciprocal recurrent method between the two lines.

Q. You are developing your own sugbo lines such as the ponkans and the blakliz, how do you go about it?
A. There are so many ways of doing it. For a starter, why don’t you get a copy of Dr. Andew Bunan’s book : Lihim sa Pagbuo ng Sariling Linyada.