Greetings

[Cotton Rabbitry]

My name is Sonja and I have joined here in hopes of actually being able to talk/get advice/experience on running my rabbitry. Finding rabbits to improve my stock has been a right pain, everything is from years ago. I am hoping that this forum is the IT place that will help me and my daughter out with all our questions and such. Seems to be the most up-to-date place I can find. Posters seem friendly as can be.

I am willing to answer questions with any experience I do have. We have bred ( summer and winter), and dealt with nest eye, Inbred stock (what I started with and have managed to eliminate in my herd) Deal with Meat/Pet rabbits.

Sonja

 

[ladysown]

welcome. What issues did you have with your inbred rabbits?

 

[Scooter1A]

My name is Sonja and I have joined here in hopes of actually being able to talk/get advice/experience on running my rabbitry. Finding rabbits to improve my stock has been a right pain, everything is from years ago. I am hoping that this forum is the IT place that will help me and my daughter out with all our questions and such. Seems to be the most up-to-date place I can find. Posters seem friendly as can be.

I am willing to answer questions with any experience I do have. We have bred ( summer and winter), and dealt with nest eye, Inbred stock (what I started with and have managed to eliminate in my herd) Deal with Meat/Pet rabbits.

Sonja

If you were in Illinois I could help you finding rabbits. I breed meat rabbits but do not interbreed so am on first doe and first buck on second litter soon to be dispatched. Then one more later this year.

 

[Therese]

Hello! I would be very interested to know about the inbreeding.

 

[Scooter1A]

Most folks agree daddy can mate with his daughter. Others say mommy can mate with the son but i don't go that way. I may some day have to mate buck with daughter but would never go mom to son. I am wondering how many years I can use my original doe. She will soon be on breed 3 and she is 1.5 years old.

 

[Therese]

Most folks agree daddy can mate with his daughter. Others say mommy can mate with the son but i don't go that way. I may some day have to mate buck with daughter but would never go mom to son. I am wondering how many years I can use my original doe. She will soon be on breed 3 and she is 1.5 years old.

Hello, again!

You know what really puzzles and amuses me is what, exactly, "unrelated" and "inbreeding" mean in the rabbit world.

I chuckle every time I use the term "unrelated" with rabbits. Unrelated is defined by professionals in a few different ways. The parents breeding with offspring or siblings breeding together is "inbreeding"....all seem to be agreed on that. BUT--not all inbreeding is evil.

So, about "inbreeding"...In my research over the past few years (which, of course, makes me an "expert"

), I discovered from several sources that professional breeders will not hesitate to breed even siblings with special qualities in order to bring out those qualities...and then will "out cross" the desirable offspring to maintain breed stamina. Of course, with the siblings, that is "inbreeding"...and would have to be done responsibly--quick to cull any that are not healthy--careful to outbreed responsibly and knowledgeably. I guess that is why it is left to the professionals--otherwise the rabbits might suffer from various health issues...and unhealthy animals could even be sold as breeders....eventually becoming sterile ("breed depression").

Here is a very interesting article on the subject from the University of Missouri: Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals

And, by a breeder, a very good article: Crossbreeding, Outcrossing, Linebreeding, and Inbreeding

As far as your own situation: You might plan to get an unrelated buck every few years to keep your herd strong. A simplistic solution, I am sure, but pretty clear. My guess is that if you read those articles you will gain confidence.

Anyway, my first time encountering the writings of a professional breeder on the subject of "inbreeding" rabbits, was...enlightening.

I truly enjoy learning more about the subject and not being governed by fear--as I had been.🌤 So, I will probably keep following this interesting conversation!

God bless you!

 

[tambayo]

Things like inbreeding/linebreeding requires knowing a lot about your breeding stock, enough pens to grow animals out and an ability to cull hard if/when problems show up.
All in all i prefer not to unless the situation makes it necessary. I'd rather not breed myself into a corner before that time.
Now when/if my older doe indeed gives me one more litter with a doe i can keep i'll have 3 unrelated doelines to work with and meat production wise that will be plenty. Breeding wise one more would be nice, but that requires more space and something like a dog to feed some of the rabbit to. For linebreeding i would then use a spiral mating like system. Females stay in moms line, buck goes to next line. Makes it easy to bring in new buck every so often. And since good does are most essential for raising litters, the selection of them is most important.

 

[john]

Hello, again!

You know what really puzzles and amuses me is what, exactly, "unrelated" and "inbreeding" mean in the rabbit world.

I chuckle every time I use the term "unrelated" with rabbits. Unrelated is defined by professionals in a few different ways. The parents breeding with offspring or siblings breeding together is "inbreeding"....all seem to be agreed on that. BUT--not all inbreeding is evil.

So, about "inbreeding"...In my research over the past few years (which, of course, makes me an "expert"

), I discovered from several sources that professional breeders will not hesitate to breed even siblings with special qualities in order to bring out those qualities...and then will "out cross" the desirable offspring to maintain breed stamina. Of course, with the siblings, that is "inbreeding"...and would have to be done responsibly--quick to cull any that are not healthy--careful to outbreed responsibly and knowledgeably. I guess that is why it is left to the professionals--otherwise the rabbits might suffer from various health issues...and unhealthy animals could even be sold as breeders....eventually becoming sterile ("breed depression").

Here is a very interesting article on the subject from the University of Missouri: Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals

And, by a breeder, a very good article: Crossbreeding, Outcrossing, Linebreeding, and Inbreeding

As far as your own situation: You might plan to get an unrelated buck every few years to keep your herd strong. A simplistic solution, I am sure, but pretty clear. My guess is that if you read those articles you will gain confidence.

Anyway, my first time encountering the writings of a professional breeder on the subject of "inbreeding" rabbits, was...enlightening.

I truly enjoy learning more about the subject and not being governed by fear--as I had been.🌤 So, I will probably keep following this interesting conversation!

God bless you!

 

[Rabbit Warren Man]

Most folks agree daddy can mate with his daughter. Others say mommy can mate with the son but i don't go that way. I may some day have to mate buck with daughter but would never go mom to son. I am wondering how many years I can use my original doe. She will soon be on breed 3 and she is 1.5 years old.

When you line breed you keep the good traits that you have worked to get rid of unwanted traits. Every time you introduce a new buck it’s a crap shoot as the new buck may harbour undesirable traits that will surface when breeding to your does.

 

[dlynn]

Hello, again!

You know what really puzzles and amuses me is what, exactly, "unrelated" and "inbreeding" mean in the rabbit world.

I chuckle every time I use the term "unrelated" with rabbits. Unrelated is defined by professionals in a few different ways. The parents breeding with offspring or siblings breeding together is "inbreeding"....all seem to be agreed on that. BUT--not all inbreeding is evil.

So, about "inbreeding"...In my research over the past few years (which, of course, makes me an "expert"

), I discovered from several sources that professional breeders will not hesitate to breed even siblings with special qualities in order to bring out those qualities...and then will "out cross" the desirable offspring to maintain breed stamina. Of course, with the siblings, that is "inbreeding"...and would have to be done responsibly--quick to cull any that are not healthy--careful to outbreed responsibly and knowledgeably. I guess that is why it is left to the professionals--otherwise the rabbits might suffer from various health issues...and unhealthy animals could even be sold as breeders....eventually becoming sterile ("breed depression").

Here is a very interesting article on the subject from the University of Missouri: Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals

And, by a breeder, a very good article: Crossbreeding, Outcrossing, Linebreeding, and Inbreeding

As far as your own situation: You might plan to get an unrelated buck every few years to keep your herd strong. A simplistic solution, I am sure, but pretty clear. My guess is that if you read those articles you will gain confidence.

Anyway, my first time encountering the writings of a professional breeder on the subject of "inbreeding" rabbits, was...enlightening.

I truly enjoy learning more about the subject and not being governed by fear--as I had been.🌤 So, I will probably keep following this interesting conversation!

God bless you!

Thanks for the info and sharing those articles. Makes me feel better about it all. No plans to sell any, but want to keep mine healthy.

 

[Therese]

When you line breed you keep the good traits that you have worked to get rid of unwanted traits. Every time you introduce a new buck it’s a crap shoot as the new buck may harbour undesirable traits that will surface when breeding to your does.

Good info--
I raise American Chinchillas and haven't yet had a problem with undesirable traits (3-4 years). I guess they are known for their health and good mothering instincts, so I am spoiled and have it pretty easy! I just have to add "new blood" every so often, and I have a few pedigreed bucks from different herds so that reflects in the pedigrees. If you have breeds with sometimes questionable mothering instincts, you will have to be more careful.
God bless you!

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

If you were in Illinois I could help you finding rabbits. I breed meat rabbits but do not interbreed so am on first doe and first buck on second litter soon to be dispatched. Then one more later this year.

I personally do not inbred and have not had to line breed as of yet. My first does (Found out that one was a buck - I got them at about 7 weeks old and was first time sexing rabbits) I didn't know they were inbred until later, and didn't know that the one I got them from had no clue about sexing rabbits.

Thankfully I am getting better at sexing them under the age of 3 months, still not 100%, but getting there. I have also eliminated all but one inbred from that line, Cocoa is grandaughter to the inbred doe, but all breedings to get her have been outsourced bucks. Just bred her for the first time today to a non-related male and am hoping to have pretty pelts and good meat as I would not sell her kits for anything BUT meat and/or pets.

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

Most folks agree daddy can mate with his daughter. Others say mommy can mate with the son but i don't go that way. I may some day have to mate buck with daughter but would never go mom to son. I am wondering how many years I can use my original doe. She will soon be on breed 3 and she is 1.5 years The oldest breeding doe I have at the moment is 3

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

welcome. What issues did you have with your inbred rabbits?

Mostly Nest Eye and small litters

 

[Cotton Rabbitry]

Most folks agree daddy can mate with his daughter. Others say mommy can mate with the son but i don't go that way. I may some day have to mate buck with daughter but would never go mom to son. I am wondering how many years I can use my original doe. She will soon be on breed 3 and she is 1.5 years old.

The oldest Doe I have at the moment is 3 years, I only allow my does to have 3 to 4 litters a year. I like to give them time to recover.