Breeding Harlequin Lionheads

[Jerryf]

Retired its my hobby, small herd. I have a pet market. I do not show The breeding is to achieve good looking lionheads. My lionheads have the type and quality- double maned and have skirts. After moult they still have doiuble mane and skirts
Now for the markings. I purchased two full sisters--littermates From well marked Harlequin parents. "Cutie" has two faint black stripes on the side of her rump. As a First time mom is doing a great job of rearing her babies. Lots of milk. Calm. bred to blue buck. One of her kits is fawn with 2 faint black stripe on the side of his rump same as mom. other kits are 2 solid blue, a blue tort, 2 blacks and an orange

"Callie" is harlequin marked...not completely, orange color, black stripes, black spot on side of forehead. She is bred to kit in 2 weeks. Bred to the same blue buck as Cutie.

Question If I keep the best marked harlequins-- Breeding the faint marked or not well marked together to extensify the harlequin genes-- after a few generations will I have good marked Harlequins?? Your opinion please

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

.........I have no idea, but that is a cute rabbit. I don't think think the markings are too light or faint...but that's only my opinion. Dood probably knows, as Dood is the master of color genetics.

 

[ladysown]

keep back the darkest oranges and the darkest blacks and over time you'll get stellar harlequins.

 

[Dood]

Getting 'proper' harli markings is not easy as it is not well understood what makes a harli with blended brindling versus well defined blotches of fawn and black versus spots of orange and black.

Like Ladysown stated : breed the best marked to the best marked and hope for the best.

Now, in regards to colour intensity it is known that Rufus factors are needed to get a bright dark orange and the wide-band gene can also help intensify orange colouring. By crossing to a blue you are likely breeding g away from these genes and it may take more time to get them back to full intensity in your stock.

 

[Bad Habit]

You wanna come breed to my Haymitch? lol!

Cute doe. I think you'd have better luck if you went for a harli buck as well, though.