Early breed back = bigger litters

[ladysown]

So I've been watching some rabbit breeders who swear by early breed back. That it gives them bigger litters.

This caused me to wonder if this might be true for more than meat rabbits so I tested the theorem on four rabbits.

NOTE: my normal breed back is 6 weeks post kindle.
I bred these does to kindle two weeks post weaning (at five - six weeks). I can't quite bring myself to do the 11 days post kindle, nor do I need to do so.

One harlequin - normally gives me six.. gave me 11 one of which was DOA
One polish - normally gives 5 gave me seven.
one holland lop - litters vary between 1-5 - gave me nine, one DOA
one holland lop - normally gives five - gave me 8 one DOA

I know that it is only one breeding period...but it certainly shows promise yes??

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Yes ,it does work. But only for so long. Bigger litters are harder on the mother. They will need a rest before breeding again.

 

[ladysown]

seeing as I don't breed over the hot months, they'll get a good break

 

[MaggieJ]

Interesting. You could be on to something, Ladysown.

 

[skysthelimit]

Very interesting

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

I'll give this a try in the future.. not constantly, just two litters in a row would be good for me. I find it interesting so I think I'll see if I get the same results.

 

[Southbound_SF]

I've heard the same from others: breed back faster and you get does more willing to breed and larger litters. Of course, you have to watch the doe's condition carefully, and only continue with a more intense schedule if she can handle it. Some does thrive on a quick breedback schedule.

Waiting to see if my slacker 3-5-in-a-litter doe will be improved by faster breedback. She gave me ONE a couple of weeks ago, so I bred her back the next day. She was certainly more willing than I've ever seen her before.

SB

 

[skysthelimit]

Same for the holland that just kindle one live. The first two breeding I had to hold her up. This is the first time I saw her lift for the buck. She bred several times willingly before I took her out.

 

[akane]

It's most definitely easiest to breed a doe and get big litters if you breed her closer to her last litter. I find the longer I wait the more troubles I have and less kits I get. Which is why I started copying the colony where does are bred immediately after giving birth. I get 0 misses that way where if I wait 2-4 weeks it's more like 25% miss and if I wait a couple months it's a 50/50 shot I'll get anything at all with what I do get being about half as many and often having to try a doe several times or hold her for the first cover until she gets back in the mood.

They'll take their own breaks. If a doe has a bunch of big litters you'll suddenly get a small litter or 2 even though you are doing the same thing. If she doesn't recover enough she'll miss once or refuse the buck for a few weeks. The colony manages itself without the does over breeding just fine. The caged bucks are a little more adamant and annoying so I have to watch the does closer but for the most part the system can be copied successfully.

 

[grumpy]

my breed-back is 21 days...if the doe is in good shape. many swear by the 11-day breed back, noting the doe will dry up faster and wean the young quicker. most say milk-production is harder than gestation on the doe.

conception rate is much higher, and the does are much more receptive. litters are "large"..but most does are held back because of this trait anyway. there comes a point where "very-large" litters are counter-productive. What does one do with all the extra youngsters? if all does kindle 8-10 or 11 young...it's hard on them to add anymore to their litter. larger numbered litters aren't as robust as ones that have 7, 8, or 9.

any "down-time" during the year, does must be carefully watched for excessive weight gain. FAT-DOES don't/won't breed well! and they will quickly put on weight when they are out of production for any length of time. it's easy to feed "just-a-little-bit" extra to that excellent doe because her service to your rabbitry.
grumpy.