What Rabbits Do You Have? Show Off Your Rabbits Here!

[Bunnylady]

Thanks! Maybe it wasn't lethal I read, sorry, still good info. Looking back at the article it was called "terminal cross" they were avoiding trying for hybrid vigor.
Quote: Some of that may be cross species confusion, too. White cats with blue eyes are often deaf - but some people will try to tell you that all white cats are deaf (not true). Also, there is a spotting gene in horses that can result in deafness (the horse may or may not be completely white). There is a lethal white gene in horses, too - the Lethal White Overo (also called Frame). There are also homozygous lethal color/pattern genes in rats and mice.

The broken (En) gene in rabbits is another gene that, while not lethal, often causes problems when an animal inherits it from both parents. In addition to the spotting on the coat that we see, this gene also affects the rabbit's digestive system, making it run a bit slower than normal, non-spotted rabbits' systems do. A rabbit with just one copy usually isn't affected much, and will probably be perfectly fine. The rabbit with two copies of the En gene has a dramatically slower digestive tract. Often, even when things are running along normally, the fecal pellets of the EnEn rabbit will be odd shapes and sizes. Normal rabbit poop is a bit like plain M&M's - round and slightly flattened, but all the same size and shape. The pellets of the double broken (called a "Charlie") are more like peanut M&M's - irregular sizes and shapes. Every rabbit is at some risk of developing digestive blockages/GI stasis, but these guys have a higher than normal risk. Many years ago, I had a Mini Lop doe that was a Charlie. Every time she kindled, her digestive system packed it in for a couple of days. I bred her 3 times before I figured out what the pattern was, and never after that.

The term "terminal cross" means that the offspring of that cross are all intended for slaughter; the productivity of that generation is the only thing being considered, because no further breeding will be done beyond that point.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Okay rabbit folks. I am a bit torn on the future direction for my rabbitry.

My goal for my rabbitry is to someday have rabbits that in my area would be above standard and unique in some way. I am making plans for the future and as it stands I see two possible directions both with obstacles.

I have a few rabbits on my property with EXCEPTIONAL production. A couple of 10+ kit does, one doe who feeds several times a day without loosing condition (biggest kits Ive ever seen) and a trio of rabbits (mother, father and daughter) who have given me the most incredible dressage ratios... Like a 4lb carcass dresses out to 3lbs, not including the liver, regularly. I had three litters with this dressage ratio before keeping the biggest daughter of one of the litters. Including liver weight I had a kit dress out to 82% once. I was shocked.
It might be nice to try producing an incredible quality meat rabbit using these traits. Selling to back yard meat producers is my primary market right now. But of course, combining these traits would be hard and I have reason to believe that my buck of that trio and his daughter carry some sort of recessive genetic flaw because her first "successful" litter went from 11 kits, down to four bucks that just would not seem to gain weight. (Althought most of those were lost to an inexperienced mother and cold climate so who know what really went wrong.) If thats the case I could probably find a way to breed it out but it would be quite a challenge and a long time but I would have something totally unique that nobody else had.

OR. I could abandon that idea all together and switch breeds. As it stands I raise NZWs and I live within two hours of a purina endorsed blogger and breeder who is very famous and wins huge awards and his rabbits sell for $120-300 each for NZ white, black, blue and broken black/blue. I can compete on price and I offer the highest quality animals for the price I charge in my area... But my rabbits don't exactly stand out when there is a guy like that close by and his stock spreads. So I could never compete on that front, but I could switch into another breed or even go for reds and broken reds. The whole point would be to get a rabbit that is rare around here but of high quality. Which means I would have the problem that it would be quite expensive, not to mention difficult to even get the rabbits to where I live! Since my farm/rabbitry funds itself, it may take me just as long to get good stock that cant be gotten around here as it would to breed out my own unique line and I may end up investing even more in it money wise.

Both options achieve my goals... How neat would it be to say I breed rabbits with consistant 75% or higher dressage ratios? But how cool would it also be to have the best stock of a certain breed within many miles? I am just torn on which direction I should go in! And of course both ways I continue to bring in money and produce meat. So both options seem good, if challenging to me.

So I am wondering, what are you alls thoughts on the matter?

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Okay rabbit folks. I am a bit torn on the future direction for my rabbitry.

My goal for my rabbitry is to someday have rabbits that in my area would be above standard and unique in some way. I am making plans for the future and as it stands I see two possible directions both with obstacles.

I have a few rabbits on my property with EXCEPTIONAL production. A couple of 10+ kit does, one doe who feeds several times a day without loosing condition (biggest kits Ive ever seen) and a trio of rabbits (mother, father and daughter) who have given me the most incredible dressage ratios... Like a 4lb carcass dresses out to 3lbs, not including the liver, regularly. I had three litters with this dressage ratio before keeping the biggest daughter of one of the litters. Including liver weight I had a kit dress out to 82% once. I was shocked.
It might be nice to try producing an incredible quality meat rabbit using these traits. Selling to back yard meat producers is my primary market right now. But of course, combining these traits would be hard and I have reason to believe that my buck of that trio and his daughter carry some sort of recessive genetic flaw because her first "successful" litter went from 11 kits, down to four bucks that just would not seem to gain weight. (Althought most of those were lost to an inexperienced mother and cold climate so who know what really went wrong.) If thats the case I could probably find a way to breed it out but it would be quite a challenge and a long time but I would have something totally unique that nobody else had.

OR. I could abandon that idea all together and switch breeds. As it stands I raise NZWs and I live within two hours of a purina endorsed blogger and breeder who is very famous and wins huge awards and his rabbits sell for $120-300 each for NZ white, black, blue and broken black/blue. I can compete on price and I offer the highest quality animals for the price I charge in my area... But my rabbits don't exactly stand out when there is a guy like that close by and his stock spreads. So I could never compete on that front, but I could switch into another breed or even go for reds and broken reds. The whole point would be to get a rabbit that is rare around here but of high quality. Which means I would have the problem that it would be quite expensive, not to mention difficult to even get the rabbits to where I live! Since my farm/rabbitry funds itself, it may take me just as long to get good stock that cant be gotten around here as it would to breed out my own unique line and I may end up investing even more in it money wise.

Both options achieve my goals... How neat would it be to say I breed rabbits with consistant 75% or higher dressage ratios? But how cool would it also be to have the best stock of a certain breed within many miles? I am just torn on which direction I should go in! And of course both ways I continue to bring in money and produce meat. So both options seem good, if challenging to me.

So I am wondering, what are you alls thoughts on the matter?

Hard choice. As I see it, you don't lose either way.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

We have an old school house, converted to a storage/work shed area/shop and now rabbitry lol lotsa room, for babies my stock is holding out on lol

I have my herd set up in an area, her project in one room and rescues in another

I love having the space. If hardware cloth was cheaper the whole building would be converted...I have plans lol for now tho separate rooms helps a lot!

*I'd never use outside stock unless intentionally set up to do so with other owner* I take my name seriously

and what goes in and out of my personal herd.


Quote: That's an adorable rabbitry!

 

[pattyjean]

So, they actually make litter out of bamboo?

Yep. It was discontinued at my local Walmart but you might find it somewhere else.

 

[Angelicisi]

Took my favorite buck out to play with me today and smell (ok ok, eat) the flowers. He's so sweet its ridiculous lol

 

[guineagirl23]

Ohhhhhh wish me luck guys! My two NZ does are on day 28! Boxes went in today and ones already nest building!

 

[Animals970]

Okay rabbit folks. I am a bit torn on the future direction for my rabbitry.

My goal for my rabbitry is to someday have rabbits that in my area would be above standard and unique in some way. I am making plans for the future and as it stands I see two possible directions both with obstacles.

I have a few rabbits on my property with EXCEPTIONAL production. A couple of 10+ kit does, one doe who feeds several times a day without loosing condition (biggest kits Ive ever seen) and a trio of rabbits (mother, father and daughter) who have given me the most incredible dressage ratios... Like a 4lb carcass dresses out to 3lbs, not including the liver, regularly. I had three litters with this dressage ratio before keeping the biggest daughter of one of the litters. Including liver weight I had a kit dress out to 82% once. I was shocked.
It might be nice to try producing an incredible quality meat rabbit using these traits. Selling to back yard meat producers is my primary market right now. But of course, combining these traits would be hard and I have reason to believe that my buck of that trio and his daughter carry some sort of recessive genetic flaw because her first "successful" litter went from 11 kits, down to four bucks that just would not seem to gain weight. (Althought most of those were lost to an inexperienced mother and cold climate so who know what really went wrong.) If thats the case I could probably find a way to breed it out but it would be quite a challenge and a long time but I would have something totally unique that nobody else had.

OR. I could abandon that idea all together and switch breeds. As it stands I raise NZWs and I live within two hours of a purina endorsed blogger and breeder who is very famous and wins huge awards and his rabbits sell for $120-300 each for NZ white, black, blue and broken black/blue. I can compete on price and I offer the highest quality animals for the price I charge in my area... But my rabbits don't exactly stand out when there is a guy like that close by and his stock spreads. So I could never compete on that front, but I could switch into another breed or even go for reds and broken reds. The whole point would be to get a rabbit that is rare around here but of high quality. Which means I would have the problem that it would be quite expensive, not to mention difficult to even get the rabbits to where I live! Since my farm/rabbitry funds itself, it may take me just as long to get good stock that cant be gotten around here as it would to breed out my own unique line and I may end up investing even more in it money wise.

Both options achieve my goals... How neat would it be to say I breed rabbits with consistant 75% or higher dressage ratios? But how cool would it also be to have the best stock of a certain breed within many miles? I am just torn on which direction I should go in! And of course both ways I continue to bring in money and produce meat. So both options seem good, if challenging to me.

So I am wondering, what are you alls thoughts on the matter?

I see you've already pretty much summed everything up into pros and cons, so I say go with what breed you love, and think would be the most fun.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Primrose, it's very true! I don't, really... Which is why it's hard to pick! On the one hand I'm raising mutts which means I never get to show, but is fun and inexpensive. On the other hand if I raise pure rabbits I give up these incredible rabbits I've got and have more marketable stock that I get to show! I really don't have room or means for both right now.

Good luck guineagirl! It's so exciting, huh?

Angel, he's super cute. I'd never be able to catch mine again. XP

Animals... I love rabbits in general. XD Really, I could be happy raising Mini Rex for all it mattered... I just have two opportunities and they're both great and it's hard to pick. So I'm asking people if there's pros or cons I may have missed...

 

[Animals970]

Oh, ok. Well, I'd go with the purebred rabbits

Primrose, it's very true! I don't, really... Which is why it's hard to pick! On the one hand I'm raising mutts which means I never get to show, but is fun and inexpensive. On the other hand if I raise pure rabbits I give up these incredible rabbits I've got and have more marketable stock that I get to show! I really don't have room or means for both right now.


Animals... I love rabbits in general. XD Really, I could be happy raising Mini Rex for all it mattered... I just have two opportunities and they're both great and it's hard to pick. So I'm asking people if there's pros or cons I may have missed...

Oh ok. I'd go with the purebred cause I show and love purebreds, and it sounds as if you want to show also. It would be more profitable (yet, money going out to get more stock would be way more expensive)