Advice on which kits to keep?

[Shan_non]

We have 8 Silver Fox kits. We are going to keep some for breeding and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to look for.
For instance, we have one that is silvering already, while the others are not and another with a white spot on it's head.
Is there any red flags or great characteristics you look for? Thanks in advance.

 

[ladysown]

Pick like you do for a meat rabbit (cause that's what they are right?)

Good size and shape.
Feel a good heft to them.
Fast growing.

If you are new to them you'll have to keep more to see how their pattern comes in. I know some grow in quick and others more slowly. if you aren't sure what yours will do you'll have to hold back more until you know better how they will colour up.

 

[hotzcatz]

The white spot on the heat is from the Vienna gene, not sure if that's a DQ in Silver Fox or not, but it'd be an instant DQ for an English angora on the show table. It's a recessive gene so at least one of the parents carries it.

If you're raising them for meat, then pick the biggest one with the fastest weight gain from the biggest litters.

If you're raising them for show, then pick the one which conforms the closest to the ARBA 'Standards of Perfection' for your breed.

If you're raising them as pets, pick the friendly one.

I'll usually not make any final decisions on who goes and who stays until they're at least eight weeks old if not older.

For the bucks, pick the absolute best one you have. The buck makes more of an impression on your breeding herd than the does do.

 

[SableSteel]

Sometimes silver fox get a white spot on their head, that just molt away with their adult coat. Check for white toenails though, those are a disqualification, and aren't the best to use in breeding if you plan to show.

How soon they get their silvering doesn't matter. It's the evenness and amount of silvering that does. Some judges want more, some want less, so pick what you want. I'd try to select away from ones that have very dark heads, though, if you were breeding for color

The most important thing for showing is body type. You want ones with a meaty body, very wide, and deep over the shoulders and hindquarters. They're supposed to have the same body type as new zealands (here are some pictures of good show quality new zealands: http://www.newzealandrabbitclub.net/Photo%20Gallery.htm).

For meat breeding, a fast growth rate (the biggest kit) combined with the ones with a good body type would make the best meat breeders.

In the end it's really just whatever you like. If you want friendly rabbits, pick friendly rabbits. If you want big rabbits, pick big rabbits. etc <br /><br /> -- June 29th, 2017, 1:33 am -- <br /><br /> Vienna is a dominant gene (maybe co-dominant, if you're talking about bew), and it doesn't run in purebred silver fox lines. If it does really end up to be vienna, then your silver fox aren't purebred.

 

[Marie28]

Defiantly depends on what you are raising them for.

We are just starting to raise silver foxes for meat and maybe sell a few. For me the best characteristics to look for are good weight and personality. Pick the one that is no afraid to come up to you when you are feeding them, doesn't freak out when you pass by. Being overly skittish or aggressive is not a good trait no matter what you are breeding them for.

 

[Dood]

Select for production traits

Fast growth rate
Meatyness
Health

No one wants a pretty Silver Fox if they don't get to 5 pounds in 12 weeks at the most, aren't meaty or are prone to nest box eye, enteritis, snuffles etc...