Agouti colored meat rabbits with SF coat, project progress

[LopLover]

Out of curiosity, do you have any issues with the kit fur matting? I had it happen to a litter of ML with super dense plushy fur. Didn't know if you ever run into that problem with the SF/SF crosses.

 

[Zass]

Out of curiosity, do you have any issues with the kit fur matting? I had it happen to a litter of ML with super dense plushy fur. Didn't know if you ever run into that problem with the SF/SF crosses.

Nope. I've yet to have any matting issues with either the purebreds or the crosses. I don't think SF are prone to it, probably because their coats have more density in the form of long guard hairs, instead of more undercoat. The kits are fuzzier than adults, but so far it hasn't been a problem.

__________ Mon Mar 23, 2015 4:19 pm __________

For record keeping. This is some of the litter out of the opal buck and chocolate steel doe pictured....cuddling above.

We have 8 survivors, as the 9th was a tiny little runt who couldn't compete.
6 agouti(2 chestnut, 2 chocolate, 1 opal, 1 lunx), 2 steel or self lilac based kits. Very pleased. I just hope some are foxy.

 

[alforddm]

What do you look for when selecting for Silver Fox coat Zass? I mean how do you tell those with Fox type coats from regular coats?

Thanks!

 

[Zass]

What do you look for when selecting for Silver Fox coat Zass? I mean how do you tell those with Fox type coats from regular coats?

Thanks!

Length, density, and standup quality. Nothing too dramatic. I don't believe it's a recessive like rex or angora, more like lining up modifiers.


For an example....I'm liking the look of this little lynx doe.

I went ahead and bred Imp to the steel-free SF doe, Sylvia, just to see what he could throw. There are two lynx bucklings in my current litters, so I'll be able to pick out someone...less runty to hold onto.

My best option at this point is probably to keep a lynx buck to breed to the SF, for chestnut doelings that carry both dilute and chocolate. Bred back to lynx, those doelings would be able to throw all 4 colors. (and thus, more lynx bucks) Line breeding with that method, I should see some fully foxed-out kits in a year or two, and hopefully get more consistency.

My herd is quickly becoming steel-free, so if anyone has any interested in my colorful steel does, now is the time to make an offer. The only steel I'll be holding onto is that chocolate doe, as she has an easygoing temperament that I really like.

__________ Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:09 pm __________

All the agoutis. I'm stoked to have this many steel-free kits to select from.



I have two more agouti-fox project litters planned for spring, and after that, I'll be growing out doelings from these litters to replace the ones I have. I'll probably grow out ALL the decent sized and shaped doelings with fluffy coats, and select who to breed after puberty sets in, as temperament is critical in this line.

__________ Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:21 pm __________

The SF doe, Silvia. She's not too pretty (no major faults, but I wouldn't call her competitive.)
She's been test bred proven the genotype I wanted though, and she's a gentle doe who was easy to breed, and is a good mother:
aa BB C_ DD E_

and my first over 50% SF chestnut who will be carrying both dilute and chocolate:

I might have seen some more kits had the buckling not been only 14 weeks old... (the litter only had 4)

And some more little fluff balls:

Overall, I've made a lot of progress this spring.

 

[Zinnia]

Wow. Very beautiful progress, Zass. I, too am keeping one Steel in my FA. I just can't resist.

 

[Zass]

Wow. Very beautiful progress, Zass. I, too am keeping one Steel in my FA. I just can't resist.

Steel can be really pretty. I particularly like blue and chocolate steel pelts.

Not sure how far I'm going to go with this though, or who I'm going to keep going forward.

The SF doe for sure, since I can use her to concentrate the foxiness, and contribute easy-to-work-with genes.
But, it's all going to depend on how well those harlequins work out for me.

That little jap doe has been a favorite of mine since I brought her home. I think she's going to kindle soon..."fingers crossed for first-gen magpies." And yeah, I'm aware she's a little young for it. I ran out of space for a while there, taking on another breeder's rabbits. She had to share a cage with the magpie buck for a while. She was lifting for him before I even walked away. She apparently thought she was ready.

I'm also aware that she lacks the face split. Really hoping she has the genes to produce them still. I purchased her from someone who does very well at shows (with her understanding that temperament was going to be more important to me than markings at this time.)

 

[alforddm]

Zass, are you sure you don't want to move to Oklahoma and bring all your lovely rabbits with you? I'm sure I could find you a nice spot of land not to far from me :twisted: Land values aren't terribly high near me and Oklahoma is one of the few states where the right to homeschool is written into the state constitution... (now finding a good job might be a chore)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[mystang89]

That is a really cool looking doe zass!

 

[Zass]

That is a really cool looking doe zass!

I thought I'd like the magpies more, but now I'm finding the jap(orange and black) color is prettier us close.

:lol:

__________ Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:04 pm __________

Zass, are you sure you don't want to move to Oklahoma and bring all your lovely rabbits with you? I'm sure I could find you a nice spot of land not to far from me :twisted: Land values aren't terribly high near me and Oklahoma is one of the few states where the right to homeschool is written into the state constitution... (now finding a good job might be a chore)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Alforddm, If we lived close, I could totally see us going bankrupt.
Most likely, from attempting to build and operate a research facility for no purpose other than sating our combined curiosity.

 

[alforddm]

Alforddm, If we lived close, I could totally see us going bankrupt.
Most likely, from attempting to build and operate a research facility for no purpose other than sating our combined curiosity.

It would be fun though! :twisted: :twisted: :rotfl: :rotfl:

 

[skysthelimit]

You are still getting stand up fur?

 

[Zass]

You are still getting stand up fur?

My first gen crosses to lilac and lilac/NZ/FG didn't have standup.

But, the 50%-25% SF rabbits crossed to each other did produce some longer standup coats.

and I'll be crossing the best of them back to pure SF this year.

To be honest, mothering, temper and growth was favored over standup for the first couple generations. I was struggling enough with psycho does, and super steels...

 

[skysthelimit]

Ok. The SF people won't admit it, but it seems stand up fur and silvering usually outlast the first generation of the cross.

In my case, I have no comparison, because I just crossed one stand up fur breed to another. But I still see silvering three gens in.

 

[Zass]

Ok. The SF people won't admit it, but it seems stand up fur and silvering usually outlast the first generation of the cross.

In my case, I have no comparison, because I just crossed one stand up fur breed to another. But I still see silvering three gens in.

Most SF in the US right now are mixed. It's not necessarily a terrible thing, but I wish they behaved a little more like SF are supposed to and a little less like NZ and Satins.

 

[skysthelimit]

I don't think it's possible to get that back. Not really knowing what they originally were, not really knowing what was added, and not really knowing who is telling the truth...

I have stock from 70 year old breeders whose parents were breeding them. I could run that line back 50 years. Still... you know what I've been seeing. I am down to a pair.

 

[Zass]

I don't think it's possible to get that back. Not really knowing what they originally were, not really knowing what was added, and not really knowing who is telling the truth...

I have stock from 70 year old breeders whose parents were breeding them. I could run that line back 50 years. Still... you know what I've been seeing. I am down to a pair.

I was attracted to the harlequins because breeders could give a hoot about purity.

It's more like, if you can get the markings, you deserve a place on the show table. Good luck.

 

[TF3]

*subscribing* so I can follow while pondering Giant Tigers :lol:

 

[Zass]

I think this pic of the lynx trio needs to be on this thread. Right now, I still think they are a long way from proper SF density. But they are getting quite pretty

I think this one is going to bikegurl, the better of the two lynx bucklings, as I had another born here I like even more.




And he's right here.
From a much younger litter.

He's the one I want to breed to Sylvia, I think. Probably.

I dunno. I might scrap the while line in favor of raising only purebreds.

__________ Thu Apr 30, 2015 7:41 pm __________

This is the over 50% SF chestnut. I kinda like him...

And (due to recent drama) we'll be paying off medical bills for a while instead of buying now rabbits. :cast:

So I guess the agouti-fox get to stay.



__________ Fri May 15, 2015 3:51 pm __________

Ok. I've made up my mind.

The harlequin doe was grooming me today. She reminds me of my sweet doe Pancake.
I like the harlis better than I've ever liked anything with SF blood...and I have no less than 8 harli doelings out of her to select from. They win the cage space.

I've mostly only ever messed with the mutts because they were out preforming all the purebreds I've tried to raise.

If anyone wants to take this project off my hands, I'd let them go for their value in meat.
They are cold hardy, grow well, and good producers, but I dislike the genetic shyness that has persisted. They are not crazy, but have the potential to throw "moody" does, and shy bucks.

I only have two bucklings and two does left.
Bucks are a lynx and a chestnut who carries dilute and chocolate.

Does are a lynx (saved because she's docile) and the black SF I was using to concentrate foxiness.

 

[LPH_NY]

Oh, how I wish we were just a little bit closer geographically! I'd love love love to take a fluffy lynx buckling off your hands....

 

[Zass]

Oh, how I wish we were just a little bit closer geographically! I'd love love love to take a fluffy lynx buckling off your hands....

I'm not sure where in central NY you are, but Syracuse is 4 hours from me.
The gas is unfortunately, worth more than the rabbits.
The best I could do would be meeting 1/2 way.

it-s-posing-as-a-bad-mini-lop-t25013.html

The only lynx buck I retained is this guy. His ears are alternately up or down depending on his mood...I'd better update the thread...