Coefficient of Inbreeding?

[-HRanchito]

I just got Kintrax (like most things I do, because of an informative thread from the archives)and I've been playing with the Coefficent of Inbreeding on there. Does anyone use that? I mean, is there somewhere you draw the line when the coefficient gets too high? At this point, I've got 2 groups of unrelated rabbits, and the linebreeding charts kind of boggle my mind. I was thinking, maybe after my first generation, since everyone will really be related at that point, I'll just breed my favorites together, and double check the coefficent on kintrax?

TL;DR: Do you, and how do you use the coefficients of inbreeding to influence breeding decisions?

 

[skysthelimit]

I don't worry too much about inbreeding, according to the ARBA book and many sources, you can breed up to 7 generations without degradation, with the exception of dilutes like opal, where the color starts to go wrong. If you are breeding just for meat, then it really doesn't matter as much, because they don't live long enough for the effects to show.
With two unrelated lines, you could breed for some time, taking your time and matching carefully, mother to son, father to daughter, cousins, uncles, nieces, grandparents, just not brother and sister, or at least not brother and sister very often.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Commercial raisers line breed all the time to achieve rabbits that are as alike as they can get.

 

[akane]

Not really. You could have bad genetics at 12% or you could have great genetics at 90%. It all comes down to how well you cull your rabbits for problems and the quality you start with.

 

[grumpy]

Always breed to the positive traits. Quickly, you will see the negatives and learn to avoid them. Keep excellent records of all that occurs. Make short notes about any aberrations that appear. good or bad.

Heavy milkers, easy breeders, excellent mothering instincts, large litters with excellent survival of young. Young that grow-out quickly to market weight within 10 to 11 weeks.....all are targets for the breeder to produce a superior animal. One test litter of 12 had an average weight of 4 pounds 8 3/4 ounces on their 70th day/10 weeks. That's good for a litter of 12. This was a grandfather/grandaughter mating.

From a "Meat-rabbit" point of view, all of the above equate to larger profit margins and superior breeding stock. I practice line-breeding with some of my does and bucks. Others are producers of meat rabbits for the processor only and none of their progeny are intended to be held back.

Grumpy