I do understand about culling, and I'm certainly not against it. After all the rabbits we're raising are intended to grace the supper table.
Krystal has reasonably heeled, eleven of her kits have survived so far, and they look very healthy. Eight of the smaller ones are pre-sold. She's also settled down quite a bit. Turned out to be a good producer too; and a good mother but I certainly don't intend to keep any of her offspring.
If we were to expand I'd pick out one of my other does offspring because she's so fit and has a delightful temperament ( in fact she could worm her way indoors, she's lovely! ) but in all seriousness I don't think it would be wise to increase our production.
We live in an extreme rural setting. Marketing our three month and two month kits presents logistical challenges and I've only got so much creativity to go round! At three successful litters each a year our does are providing near enough to sixty kits.
Selling a third of them even at discounted volume prices allows for the feed cost to be recouped as well as a substantial portion of the capital cost of our start up with a break even on targeted for the 18th month. That's half way to Krystal, Gingersnap, and our mighty buck Vinegar's retirement.
I don't know if we could consume more than 40 rabbits a year, they're pretty big rabbits!
I'm very sure no one is keeping any of our sold rabbits for pets or breeding so the chance of passing on poor hocks or sore hocks into the greater gene pool is pretty slim, but I would advise anyone wishing to breed using our stock against buying Krystal's kits and sell them a kit from Gingersnap instead. That would be the ethical thing to do.
Come to think about it that's what the people we bought our does should have done! Oh well, I only judge my actions, not what other people do.
