culling Jersey Woolies

[lopsofun]

Hi. Was wondering if anyone could (would?) share their experiences with criteria for culling Jersey Wooly jrs.

 

[Dood]

I have culled 2 pound Mini Lops using the cervical dislocation method with a rabbit wringer.

 

[lopsofun]

Thanks. But I really want info on how to determine a cull from a keeper. I'm not talking about disqualification faults, but more on size, conformation, and wool quality.

 

[Peach]

Work on getting some nice posed pictures on a clean,flat surface.

I'd check your SOP for the correct pose for them. I know they go back and forth with being posed and some pose them like ND.Some people put up and win with a fuzzy ND. It's a tough call with them.

I know some people will cull based on the fact if they are a false or a true dwarf. False can be useful if they have good type, especially if they are does for easier litters, they can be used as brood stock.

I would watch their ears because after x amount, it is a DQ. Check for substance (thin and poorly furred? Short and thick?etc) ...scissoring of the ear...

I will cull pinched HQ, long shoulders, and overall boney/catchy rabbits.

The wool quality is a little funky on jrs. It mats easily and just a pain in the butt. I'd probably feel for something that's dense and not whispy. I'd read the SOP for what they expect as far as wool quality goes. Some JW folks on here can probably give you more feed back.

Some JW can be very deceiving. Some look awesome with all that wool, and then you touch them and they are little boney things. (something I know I would cull out!)

 

[lopsofun]

How can you tell the difference between a false and a true dwarf? I have a big one I just petted out that a breeder said was not a dwarf. I weighed him and he was overweight, but not fat. He doesn't eat much at all. Just picked up a herd sire that is much smaller and has overall better qualities. Hope he throws me some good ones.

 

[Peach]

Usually false dwarfs are just overall larger animals. When Wooly Wonders had them ( She still has them but she's expecting her first son any day now! ) she would point them out by the size they were when they were born. True dwarfs tend to just be..small. They usually have the smaller ears and bodies. I have a false JW buck that he's just big LOL He's sweet but you can tell by looking at him he's oversized. He eats the same if not more than my Mini Lops!

 

[lopsofun]

Usually false dwarfs are just overall larger animals. When Wooly Wonders had them ( She still has them but she's expecting her first son any day now! ) she would point them out by the size they were when they were born. True dwarfs tend to just be..small. They usually have the smaller ears and bodies. I have a false JW buck that he's just big LOL He's sweet but you can tell by looking at him he's oversized. He eats the same if not more than my Mini Lops!

Well mine is a JW monster. My new buck is tiny and has really small ears. Maybe I need to focus on the ears b/c what I've noticed at shows is that the better JWs have the little, rounded ears and the bigger ones all seem to have longer, more pointed ears. Been looking at a lot of the winner pics on the NJWRC site and have noticed some trends. So much to learn. Thanks again. Hope your mini lops are doing well.

 

[skysthelimit]

I'll go out in the barn tomorrow and get pictures.

The first thing I look at is the litter. Are there any that are clearly bigger than the others by the time they are three weeks?
Next, Check teeth, pinched hips, length and width of shoulder. Even at 4 weeks you can tell those. Wide foot, short and stubby. Good bone, Long narrow feet, no good.

Whatever wool I have at 8 weeks, I have at a year. I show at 12 weeks and shave the coat.

Ears are a big one. You have to really look at them. Anything over 2 1/2 inches I cull. You know you have a non dwarf there. I had a doe that was three lbs at 12 weeks. She was not going to be a dwarf.

Head needs to wait, because it gets wider up to 8 mos old. But I have a jr buck that has a very nice head beginning at 4 mos. his ears were 2 1/2 at 10 weeks, but his head grew and his ears do did not.

The current litter, they have tiny, tiny ears and big heads. I think they are going to be very nice.

The best thing to do, in absence of a breeder standing there, picking them out, is to watch an entire litter grow up to 8 mos. Take pictures, so when you see it in your other litters, you will recognize the signs.

 

[lopsofun]

The shoulder stuff I'm not so clear on.

 

[skysthelimit]

Even with smaller breeds, you want the shoulder as wide as the loin, or as close as possible. Pose the rabbit ans put your winders between the shoulder blades. I like at least two fingers. Make sure it's relaxed though. Then look at the distance from the neck to the peak (pose it like a compact rabbit, it's easier to see and explain that way).