Until today I had never heard of 'Dubbing' but I got my monthly country smallholding mag today and just started to have a read. Tim Tyne's best breeds page features Old English Game bantams this month and the following is a quote from the article:
'Although I no longer keep OEG bantams I did enjoy breeding and showing them, but the fact that the cockerels need to be 'dubbed' (ie have their comb and wattles cut off) for exhibition purposes is a bit off-putting. In an era when we no longer dock dogs' tails or crop their ears, I'm surprised that this barbaric practice is still tolerated.'
I was in total shock after reading this. I'm sorry but why, why, why would anyone mutilate their poultry like this and why is it required by the show judges? I am, frankly, appalled. I never heard of this practice before and am so shocked that people actually HAVE to do this if they want to show their birds!
Is there some point that I am missing here? To me it sounds like a heinous act but maybe there is a good reason that I dont have a concept of?