There are thousands of fighting rooster breeds that are used for cockfighting. If you aren’t well-versed in differentiating the various breeds of gamefowl, you may end up mistaking one for another.
Such is the case of the Taiwanese fighting rooster, which is often referred to as the Taiwanese Shamo due to its similarity to Shamo birds.
What Is the Taiwanese Fighting Rooster?
The Taiwanese fighting rooster or Taiwanese game is a breed of large gamefowl originating from Taiwan. It is among the largest breeds around as the birds can measure up to 3 feet in height and may exceed 10 kg in body weight.
As mentioned, its appearance shows some similarities to the Japanese Shamo birds despite not being a Japanese breed. Due to that, however, they are sometimes known as Taiwanese Shamo.
The Taiwanese Game is also referred to as Fighting Malay as the birds are more of a Malayoid type. Large roosters of this type but of an unknown breed may sometimes be called “Taiwan” or in the United States, they are called “Saipan”, “Saipan Jungle Fowl,” or “Chinese Shamo.”
In appearance, the Taiwanese Game can be of any color but most often have a wheaten tone. They have very long legs which are typically yellow but sometimes can be marked with black. Their beaks take on a yellowish tone or are horn-colored. Their face, earlobes, comb, and throat are all red.
When it comes to personality, Taiwanese Game birds are impressive, strong, and agile. Experts have observed that the Taiwanese Fighting Rooster fights defensively, and can be temperamental. It holds itself with an upright, high status, but can be very dear and tame towards its owners. They are also seen to be very reliable and durable.
Uses of the Taiwanese Game Birds
Taiwanese Game birds are used in cockfights because they can be very aggressive. Their large size can be very intimidating as well.
Outside of cockfights, Taiwanese Game birds were also bred for meat but at the expense of egg-laying capabilities. Taiwanese Game hens can lay around 100 eggs per year but due to their size, they are clumsy mothers, and eggs are often broken.
Final Note
The Taiwanese Game is a large breed of bird that is often to be mistaken as a breed that originates from the Japanese Shamo. Its roots actually come from Taiwan. Aside from its tall build, the Taiwanese Game can be very aggressive and it is also seen to be strong and agile, making it an ideal breed to use in cockfights.
