Breeding in heat tolerance?

6riversfarms · Jun 30, 2012

May be a sign of the times but I have been pondering how to breed heat tolerance into my herd. Right now I have what seem to be some heat tolerant pedigreed Florida Whites and some unpedigreed NZ type rabbits. I am thinking of doing some crossbreeding with the two breeds.

It shouldnt be to difficult to select for heat resistance from my crosses while also looking for the body type I want in my herd should it?

Any suggestions appreciated.

skysthelimit · Jun 30, 2012

I am interested as well. I have done nothing because I can do nothing, I cannot afford to heat or cool that old barn. Also, it just makes no good sense not to be able to breed the entire summer, I will never be able to get enough kits to fulfill raw orders if I have to stop breeding from June -September, nor will I have anything at the right age for fall/winter shows. At the moment it's a live and let die policy.

MamaSheepdog · Jun 30, 2012

6riversfarms":376x73ef said:
It shouldnt be to difficult to select for heat resistance from my crosses while also looking for the body type I want in my herd should it?

skysthelimit":376x73ef said:
At the moment it's a live and let die policy.

The only way to select for heat tolerance is to try breeding your animals that seem least affected by the heat. Unfortunately, pregnant does will likely be more susceptible to heat stress, and may die, especially in the latter stages of pregnancy.

I am going to try to breed through the summer too- just not quite as many does, so I can see how they do. I am not looking forward to losing does or kits, but if I never try, I wont know if it is feasible. So far I haven't seen any signs of heat stress, and I have yet to provide any extra cooling measures.

trinityoaks · Jun 30, 2012

I'm thinking of giving it a shot, as well. Because of our move, my does have really gone longer than I like without breeding.

ottersatin · Jun 30, 2012

In the Summer months breed your Rabbits in the coolest part of the Day.
Early morning or evening would be best. This should, [but not always]
cause them to kindle toward early morning or evening.
You can remove the nestboxes once they kindle and bring them to the Dam in
the morning or evening when you do your feeding and watering of the Herd.
The Dams will almost immediately jump in and feed the kits. This should
take all of five minutes or less, then return the nestbox of kits to
the house till the next day, when you will repeat the ordeal till the kits a furred
then they can remain with the Dam. provide whatever relief you must to the Dam
against the riggers of heat. A Frozen soda Bottle, Sprites of cool water etc.
don't overdue it a soaked rabbit may succumb to chills.
Ottersatin.

ldtimer:

skysthelimit · Jun 30, 2012

ottersatin":2nbecxz4 said:
don't overdue it a soaked rabbit may succumb to chills.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

I did not know that.

grumpy · Jun 30, 2012

I've lost three does this week due to the heat. All were due to kindle today and tomorrow. It's frustrating and heart-breaking. But, all of those that died were not of the stock in my herd. They were "other" lines from different breeders that I got when I bought out that rabbitry some time ago.

grumpy.

Southbound_SF · Jun 30, 2012

Ottersatin gives great advice for getting a herd through bad weather conditions, but if you want to breed in heat tolerance I think you'll have to NOT "coddle" them, as it were. Meaning leave them out in the heat (shaded, of course) all day and see who thrives - or at least suffers the least.

You'll need to keep a close eye out so you can take action if any rabbits get overheated. Those are not your keepers. Breed right through the summer, and any that can't hack it are out of the program.

Then you've got a group of kits that were born in miserably hot weather and did well with it, from mothers who handily survived the same. Within that pool, select for your other traits, like body type. It'll be a more limited pool for sure, but if heat tolerance is important to you then you CAN'T let in that perfect-looking young doe who just barely survived the summer with emergency measures, or whose mother was overly stressed while pregnant. Select for heat first, then other traits. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The FWs will bring down your size for a while, but I think you can get it back up. They're nice & meaty, anyway.

Ooh, and then this winter you can start breeding the "winners" from the summer heat and do the same thing for cold and then you'll have year-round rabbits!

Let us know how it goes. I do basically this, but it's on such a small scale right now that it'll be a while before I can claim real results.

SB

skysthelimit · Jun 30, 2012

I've given up on the water bottles, the fan is on. Scream looks desperately hot, she is sniffling, and I'm not sure she's gonna make it. The bucks are taking it in stride. Elmo, my herd sire, was born 5/30, so he has a summer under his belt.

6riversfarms · Jun 30, 2012

Southbound_SF":32cge6wc said:
Ottersatin gives great advice for getting a herd through bad weather conditions, but if you want to breed in heat tolerance I think you'll have to NOT "coddle" them, as it were. Meaning leave them out in the heat (shaded, of course) all day and see who thrives - or at least suffers the least.

You'll need to keep a close eye out so you can take action if any rabbits get overheated. Those are not your keepers. Breed right through the summer, and any that can't hack it are out of the program.

Then you've got a group of kits that were born in miserably hot weather and did well with it, from mothers who handily survived the same. Within that pool, select for your other traits, like body type. It'll be a more limited pool for sure, but.... Select for heat first, then other traits.
Let us know how it goes. I do basically this, but it's on such a small scale right now that it'll be a while before I can claim real results.

These are the lines I was thinking along too. I am gonna have to build more growout cages.

__________ Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:11 pm __________

MamaSheepdog":32cge6wc said:
6riversfarms":32cge6wc said:

It shouldnt be to difficult to select for heat resistance from my crosses while also looking for the body type I want in my herd should it?

Click to expand...

skysthelimit":32cge6wc said:

At the moment it's a live and let die policy.

Click to expand...

The only way to select for heat tolerance is to try breeding your animals that seem least affected by the heat. Unfortunately, pregnant does will likely be more susceptible to heat stress, and may die, especially in the latter stages of pregnancy.

I am going to try to breed through the summer too- just not quite as many does, so I can see how they do. I am not looking forward to losing does or kits, but if I never try, I wont know if it is feasible. So far I haven't seen any signs of heat stress, and I have yet to provide any extra cooling measures.

I have one doe Rose with an 11 day old litter. She is taking it on the chin as it were. Ill be so glad when I can get these kits off of her. Streaks litter is on day 3 I think. She is the silver tipped steel mutt of my sons. She seems to be taking it in stride. I hate to watch Rose struggle. She is such a sweet rabbit. Ughh. I got hard decisions to make.<br /><br />__________ Sat Jun 30, 2012 4:26 pm __________<br /><br />

grumpy":32cge6wc said:
I've lost three does this week due to the heat. All were due to kindle today and tomorrow. It's frustrating and heart-breaking. But, all of those that died were not of the stock in my herd. They were "other" lines from different breeders that I got when I bought out that rabbitry some time ago.

grumpy.

What breeds do you raise grumpy?

skysthelimit · Jun 30, 2012

I'm a bit torn. Leaving the door open provides ventilation. Even with three windows, the wind does not blow into the barn. However, keeping the door closed keeps the temp down by 3 degrees.

Legacy · Jun 30, 2012

My problems with breeding through the summer have less to do with the does/babies and more to do with the bucks being sterile.

MamaSheepdog · Jun 30, 2012

Sky,

How about opening the door at night? Can you do that without safety issues? Your dogs will alert you to intruders since they live in half of it, wont they? If not, maybe one of those ultra-heavy duty perforated metal screen doors would be a good investment...

6riversfarms · Jun 30, 2012

Legacy":1br0tq6u said:
My problems with breeding through the summer have less to do with the does/babies and more to do with the bucks being sterile.

Yes I have thought of this aspect too. This is my first summer with rabbits and I only have one breeding age buck so I have no experience with it beyond what I have read. I am going to try younger bucks that are just maturing next summer I think. I was honestly suprised that my buck wasn't sterile when is breedings took on May 18 and May 28th after plenty of 90 degree temps.

Are all bucks different as far as how much heat it takes to make them sterile? I guess to select for heat related steriliy resistance in your herd you would have to try the bucks to see when they stop taking. That means more space for growing them to maturity before culling I would think.

With the amount of space I am willing to dedicate to rabbits I am not sure how quickly I will start seeing results.

akane · Jun 30, 2012

Every buck is different. I had one who bred through the summer no problem and his son doesn't do too bad either. I have others that I can't get kits from june through the end of oct unless I put them in ac.

Legacy · Jun 30, 2012

6riversfarms":ifxh95rt said:
Are all bucks different as far as how much heat it takes to make them sterile?

Idk. My experience consists of one year of record breaking highs for record breaking streaks and it took a good 90 days after so I don't know what a "normal" summer would do to them or how the ages would effect it.

skysthelimit · Jun 30, 2012

MamaSheepdog":sgcmouod said:
Sky,

How about opening the door at night? Can you do that without safety issues? Your dogs will alert you to intruders since they live in half of it, wont they? If not, maybe one of those ultra-heavy duty perforated metal screen doors would be a good investment...

I am concerned about the stray cats that roam, and have killed my chickens in the daytime. Not to mention the occasional possum. The problem is the dogs are not loose in the yard, to keep the cats away. But I do have heavy duty screen, it covers the windows. I believe it's eight feet tall. Maybe I can take one off of the window that faces my neighbors yard, and use it for the door. I can replace the window screen with cage wire.

ottersatin · Jun 30, 2012

When the heat is up,
continue to use your Bucks.
The more you use them the sooner the Blanks will be shot out.
In temps above 85 to 90 degrees there can be problems with
temporary sterility. In a short time the Bucks will be their old self!
Ottersatin.

ldtimer:

Starsider · Jun 30, 2012

Temporary solution- two box fans in a window - one facing in, the other facing out. Keeping a constant exchange of air going is going to help keep it about 10-15 degrees cooler in a closed space like a barn.

I've actually wondered what it would be like to build a barn out of a material like abobe or cinderblock that generally stays cool as long as it's shaded.

akane · Jun 30, 2012

I've always wanted one of those old stone dairy barns.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/selago/86211265/
http://www.canstockphoto.com/dairy-barn-0017349.html

We have a few around and a lot that are lower half stone and top half barn boards. Sometimes they have ramps inside to get the animals to the next level but many are built on hills and have a 2nd access point for the upper half.

Breeding in heat tolerance?

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