how long before heat sterility resolves?

[coffeenutdesigns]

I would like to start breeding again mid August, but we will most likely still have temps in the 90s. I think I'll move my bucks indoors before breeding. Howearly should I move them into cooler temps to make sure they have viable swimmers?

 

[MamaMandy]

I'm really not sure but seems to me your bucks might need a mating or two just to "clean out the pipes" per se. LOL

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Yeah, I figured I'd give them a few "practice runs" and make sure they had a second breeding for sure.

 

[luvmybunnys]

So its true about them being steril during the summer months? I thought it was just a myth

 

[ottersatin]

Keep breeding your Bucks,
in the Summer months.
The more you use them the more quickly
they will shoot out the blanks.
I breed mt Satins all year long,
to hopefully not allow them to become temporarily Sterile.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[TMTex]

I'm hoping mine took. I'm looking forward to continuing the pedigree line of NZWs and I have an NZW and a Cali bred with my flemish.

 

[avdpas77]

Sperm starts dieing when the outside temperature gets much above 85F. In my experience it takes them about a month to recover, but that because one hot day can start the process all over again. A friend, (General Brown on HT) always keeps a young buck from the spring that will be reaching 5 months old when it is time to start breeding again. I have tried the method and it seems to work. I guess they haven't built up as much fat as the adult bucks.

I try to start breeding again around the first of October. It should be cool enough for the bucks, but the does are going through a hormone cycle with the shortening daylight that is counter to being receptive. I usually have to leave them with the buck for an hour or two, and still only about half my does conceive. That is why I bred all of them at the same time. If they ever all conceive I will be in real trouble trying to grow out 70 or 80 kits at the same time. They also tend to build up a bit of extra fat when they have gone 3 or 4 months with no kits, and that is a problem too. Those that can breed through the summer seem to have much less problem keeping good production.

It is hardly worth it to summer raise rabbits here. When it gets hot mine take a lot longer to grow-out. I processed some yesterday at almost 13 weeks that weren't as big as I normally have at 10 weeks. They will likely be a lot tougher.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

It can take up to 90 days from the last week with 3 or more consecutive days with +85f temps for a buck to regain his fertility. Now, it doesn't always take that long, that is worst case scenario. Last summer, for the older ones here, it took 42 days. I kept back two younger bucks, as AVDPASS77 said, that were born in December of the year before and they were able to produce for me.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Hmmmm, I have a Cali Buck that should be ready soon. My NZ Buck is still young, but he has been bred before. I suppose I could try out the Cali Buck for the first round and save the older bucks for the next go round. I have a young doe acting very ready to be bred, so I'm hoping she'll still be eager when the time comes.

 

[paradox]

Keep breeding your Bucks,
in the Summer months.
The more you use them the more quickly
they will shoot out the blanks.
I breed mt Satins all year long,
to hopefully not allow them to become temporarily Sterile.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

I don't think breeding the bucks in summer is much of an option for us in Texas because of how hard it would be on the does if the breeding did take. With the exception of those who are willing to bring them inside or have an air conditioned facility it is just too hot to be "birthin' those babies". We lost a litter and almost lost a doe that we bred a little late this year. She was due on July 5th but kindled a week early. Lost all the kits and then she did not look good for a few days. She is a super good mom usually and I swear it depressed the hell out of her to lose that litter. As a rule, we really don't lose any kits. That is the last time we will even attempt to breed that late.

But we do plan to breed them as much as possible after summer is over to get things moving more quickly.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

I lost 2 kits early in the summer from my last litter of the season. My doe was hot and stressed, I resorted to bringing the nestbox inside during the heat, and those babies just didn't grow as fast. I have already decided no late litters next year. It's too hard on the does and the babies.