Breeding Attempt

[II Arrows]

Last night I attempted to breed my NZW buck and my big Cali doe. I waited till the sun went down and the temperature to drop to let them get reacquainted. After a few minutes of playing hard to get she settled down a little and let him do his thing. To make a long story short he had 2 fall offs. After the 2nd fall off he wanted to snuggle up next to her and he acted like he was tired. I put her back in her cage and gave them both a treat for being good sports. Being that its ridiculously hot and humid here im willing to say he's probably heat sterile. Should I try to breed them again tonight or should I just wait and observe her for the next 28-31 days to see what happens?

 

[Rabbitdog]

I think this whole heat sterility thing is way over-rated. I'm certain that it is real and that it can affect litter numbers but if the buck actually gets 2 or 3 cycles, you usually ended up with kits. I remember when my wife and I were starting our litter, her doctor cautioned me to stay out of hot tubs for that very reason.
Be sure to let us know how it goes!

I bred my NZR buck to a NZW doe last month with 2 fall offs and got 7 kits yesterday. A little surprising since her first 2 litters were 9 and 11. Heat issue? .... maybe.

 

[II Arrows]

Thanks. I hope that is the case. I would like to keep them in production mode!

 

[Ramjet]

I think this whole heat sterility thing is way over-rated.

Heat sterility is very real .... It really depends upon how hot and how long they remain at those temps and older bucks are more susceptible to becoming sterile from the heat.

Rabbits can become heat sterile in temps above ~85. In my neck of the woods we get 100 consecutive days above 90 with a good 60 days above 95. Last week my thermometer read 113! Ice is my friend ....

Last year I attempted to start breeding again in early September with proven stock & temps in the low 90's .... 2 bucks , 9 does. Couldn't get a doe to take until the end of October when night time temps began dropping into the upper 60's and day time temps were in the mid 80's. Breed palpate rebreed for a solid 60 days , the two bucks were just shooting blanks ..... and the only thing I can attribute it to is heat.

It's just HOT here ....throw in the humidity and it's a tough environment for rabbits.

 

[macksmom98]

I'm in TX dealing with the heat and humidity too, and anxious for
2nd litter of kits (our first was born in April)........but when I put them together they just get sooooo hot! He fell off once, but I would guess he's sterile too. Do you think repeated attempts to breed help to "work the blanks out" to gain fertility back faster? Just curious what other peoples theories are on the subject....this is my first year breeding....

 

[ottersatin]

Do you think repeated attempts to breed help to "work the blanks out"
to gain fertility back faster?

Absolutely macksmom98!
The more you work him the faster the blanks will be shot out.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[macksmom98]

Lol-my theory was correct then!!!! I'll keep up my efforts, lol

 

[Ramjet]

Do you think repeated attempts to breed help to "work the blanks out" to gain fertility back faster? Just curious what other peoples theories are on the subject....this is my first year breeding....

I believe it does help get rid of the blanks .... once the heat subsides. Which for me wont be until mid to late September (just North of Houston).


Last year after my does wouldn't take early , I started putting my buck with a doe every day twice a day (morning & evening) letting him fall off 2-3 times each time until she took .... helps to have a doe that's really receptive. After that he was firing on all cylinders ....

There is always the option of moving a buck into an air conditioned space .... then you don't have to worry about him shooting blanks. (I don't have that option , my wife wont stand for it).

 

[macksmom98]

I am one of those wives, lol.....but we do bring them inside to mate. They seem to be more interested in going another round if they are in the A/C. I have tile floors so it works. But neither Doe is very receptive. I have one who had a litter in April who let him at her once, and another first timer who is only 4.5 months old. She won't sit still for him at all yet...

 

[Dood]

And heat sterility is not an "all or nothing thing" - some of the sperm will be damaged so it can't make it to the egg but there are A LOT of sperm in each cover so there could be a few that get the job done.

"Clearing the blanks" will only work if the newer/younger sperm is not heat damaged and since spermatogenis is a 3 week process from beginning to the end of the line, so to speak, really excessive heat can make a buck have decreased fertility even into fall

 

[Rabbitdog]

I think this whole heat sterility thing is way over-rated.

Heat sterility is very real ....

Please re-read my post. I admitted that it is very real .... just over-rated (over-hyped).

 

[Ramjet]

And heat sterility is not an "all or nothing thing" - some of the sperm will be damaged so it can't make it to the egg but there are A LOT of sperm in each cover so there could be a few that get the job done.

"Clearing the blanks" will only work if the newer/younger sperm is not heat damaged and since spermatogenis is a 3 week process from beginning to the end of the line, so to speak, really excessive heat can make a buck have decreased fertility even into fall

Thanks Dood .... learn something new every day.

Had to go look this up .... cause I didn't have a clue what spermatogenis meant. Gives me a little better insight into why its an issue.

I think this whole heat sterility thing is way over-rated.

Heat sterility is very real ....

Please re-read my post. I admitted that it is very real .... just over-rated (over-hyped).

I get that .... now.


I think a lot of how we perceive it is due to the difference in conditions between our two locals ...

 

[Rabbitdog]

I think a lot of how we perceive it is due to the difference in conditions between our two locals ...

I just noticed you're in the big T. Yeah, I guess you probably have a little more experience with extreme heat than we do in Virginia. I probably wouldn't survive one summer out there .... although I'd like to try. I'm a life long Cowboy fan dating back to Roger Staubach, Golden Richards, Randy White and Too Tall Jones days. I'll be glad when they get a new owner .... but that subject deserves it's own thread.
Cheers!