How do I know if my buck is sterile/“shooting blanks”?

[Blessed with pets]

Hey y’all. I haven’t had much luck getting my rabbits bred. I’ve got 3 bucks, one I’m selling because I don’t need his color, a young non proven one I just bought, and then my main buck that I got a few months ago and I’ve bred 6 does to him and one to my other buck twice and the first time none took and I figured it’s cause it was hot then I bred them all a second time to the same bucks and I know for sure that two didn’t take and I’m not sure about the others but they are due next week so I’ll have to see. Just seeing if y’all got any tips. All my bucks and does are under two and a half years old.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

It's possible that the Buck could have a split penis or missing a testicle (it's not as easy to notice as you'd expect)

 

[Blessed with pets]

It's possible that the Buck could have a split penis or missing a testicle (it's not as easy to notice as you'd expect)

Well I’m gonna go check him when I get a chance but I’m not sure that it’s one of those problems because he has had babies this year before I got him.

 

[eco2pia]

So, let's get a better picture of the problem you are having.

You have a buck that has had offspring, but not with you, so he is proven capable--according to a previous owner.
You have several does that have missed producing litters on their most recent breedings and the one previous to that.
recent breedings would have happened in late september/early october

You don't list your location, or the ambient temps in the weeks leading up to those breedings, but it is possible heat was still a factor. It is also possible that the buck was sold for lack of performance.

Are all the animals at optimal body condition? no fat does, not too skinny?
Are the does proven?
What are their ages?

In any case, I tend to have a 3 strikes you are out policy, so if none of the does get pregnant on the 3rd try I think I would consider replacing the buck.

 

[Blessed with pets]

So, let's get a better picture of the problem you are having.

You have a buck that has had offspring, but not with you, so he is proven capable--according to a previous owner.
You have several does that have missed producing litters on their most recent breedings and the one previous to that.
recent breedings would have happened in late september/early october

You don't list your location, or the ambient temps in the weeks leading up to those breedings, but it is possible heat was still a factor. It is also possible that the buck was sold for lack of performance.

Are all the animals at optimal body condition? no fat does, not too skinny?
Are the does proven?
What are their ages?

In any case, I tend to have a 3 strikes you are out policy, so if none of the does get pregnant on the 3rd try I think I would consider replacing the buck.

Yes all that was correct.

I bought the buck as a trio with him and two does. Both of which had freshly weaned kits with him being the sire when I bought them. I almost bought one of the tricolor babies but didn’t have the funds at the time. Only reason she was selling them is cause she raises meat rabbits and just had a trio and she didn’t need small rabbits. Not sure I ever mentioned but they are Holland lops. The buck is a VERY motivated breeder. So that’s definitely not my problem it’s just they aren’t taking.

Every breeding has had 3+ falloff’s. And I’ve got about 10 does total but 4-5 of those are gonna be going, some retiring and some I’m just selling my non pedigreed ones or crappy type ones then one doe had passed her three strike period. Heat coulda definitely played a key factor because I’m in Frierson louisiana (close to shreveport) and we just dropped under 50 last week but it’s been under 80 for more than a month. It’s just if hes heat sterile I’m not sure how long it’ll take before he’s not yk.

But I can confirm that 4 out of 5 I bred beginning of October did not take. There’s one i can’t confirm cause I haven’t really checked up on her so I’m not sure if she’s pregnant or not.

In summary I’ll be left with a 2 year old pedigreed proven chestnut doe, approx 1-2 year old proven non pedigreed tricolor doe, 2 almost 7 month old pedigreed bew does, and an 8 month old pedigreed broken black doe that came from my stock.

Then I have the buck we’re talking about he’s a solid black magpie I have to check his pedigree but I think he’s one or two and I have another buck he’s 5 months old, pedigreed solid black and he’s tiny, but I bred him for the first time yesterday to my broken black doe she’ll be due December 4th. And I’ve bred one of the bews to the magpie she’s due November 21. rebred my chestnut doe to my magpie due December 4th just curious to see what kind of chinchilla I could get out of em, blue/fawn tricolor doe to magpie due Nov 23 then I’ve been trying to breed my other bew to my black buck but she hasn’t lifted yet.

Let me know if you have any more questions! Sorry for the lengthy response lol

 

[eco2pia]

Well, according to the NIH, heat infertility in bucks can last 45-70 days, so I think that might be the problem. If I were in a particularly warm area, I might just bring my bucks indoors, especially a dwarf breed like Holland lops. It does sound like he will eventually come back on line none the worse for wear, you just will miss a few months in your schedule.

 

[Blessed with pets]

Well, according to the NIH, heat infertility in bucks can last 45-70 days, so I think that might be the problem. If I were in a particularly warm area, I might just bring my bucks indoors, especially a dwarf breed like Holland lops. It does sound like he will eventually come back on line none the worse for wear, you just will miss a few months in your schedule.

Yeah I’ll probably do that when it gets hot again. I’m thinking of switching to French lops in a couple years to start on meat rabbits. Just sucks cause I don’t Breed for most of the year and these are usually my prime breeding months.

 

[hotzcatz]

Well, according to the NIH, heat infertility in bucks can last 45-70 days, so I think that might be the problem. If I were in a particularly warm area, I might just bring my bucks indoors, especially a dwarf breed like Holland lops. It does sound like he will eventually come back on line none the worse for wear, you just will miss a few months in your schedule.

Thanks! I was just wondering earlier today how long it would take to 'reload' a buck who was 'shooting blanks'.

Any idea how hot it has to be and for how long to induce the sterility?

 

[eco2pia]

Thanks! I was just wondering earlier today how long it would take to 'reload' a buck who was 'shooting blanks'.

Any idea how hot it has to be and for how long to induce the sterility?

While that has likely been measured in some broad sense I would expect it to be variable based on housing, humidity, and individual rabbit...

Impacts of Heat Stress on Rabbit Immune Function, Endocrine, Blood Biochemical Changes, Antioxidant Capacity and Production Performance, and the Potential Mitigation Strategies of Nutritional Intervention

According to this review paper, heat stress begins at about 86f (30c) and the sperm cycle lasts 51 days. I would infer that if you have a week of temps over 86f you would have a relatively short dip in fertility, but most summers have a longer hot spell than that, hence the 45-70 day period after heat stress--the longer they are over temp, the longer the recovery period, as they are not producing sperm at all during the hot days.