Is a vienna marked a bad choice for someone not BEW?

mommaofmany · Jan 7, 2014

I am looking at a blue otter Holland Lop, he is vienna marked, I just got his pedigree this morning to look over.

This woman does not seem to be spectacular with colors, or just doesn't care about show quality?

Anyway, mom is a BEW all four gen on the pedigree, and mom was acquired in 2012. She has had the sire side for 5 gens before the current buck. at least one rabbit is missing coat color too.

I don't want to post the pedigree but if someone could message me I can send it to them to look at?

Thanks

( I would be breeding to torts)

Dood · Jan 7, 2014

Is a vienna marked a bad choice for someone not BEW?

It depends what you're breeding for.

The Vienna gene can create white areas or blue eyes that disqualify rabbits from the show table but pet buyers think it is cute and those kits with white are often sold first

skysthelimit · Jan 7, 2014

If you care about show quality, or plan to sell to anyone who does, the short answer is yes, it would be a bad choice. Mixing BEW or Vienna marked with color, unless you are using for a BEW program only, is a bad idea, since vienna marked kits are not showable, and can cause other color issues like weird eyes. You will increase the likelihood of getting unshowable, mismarked kits, and nobody who shows wants that.

MamaSheepdog · Jan 7, 2014

If you are going to get a Vienna carrier, I would use it as a separate line for BEW's and pet rabbits only.

akane · Jan 7, 2014

If you have an outlet for the mismarked pet quality rabbits it would be fine. Show people don't really like to buy from VM lines though even if the offspring are unmarked because they can carry the gene hidden as well. You can have VM rabbits pop up down the line so any BEW lines you get need to be carefully bred and kept track of if you are showing or selling to others that show. You also should not mix them with the broken gene because it can become impossible to tell if a rabbit is just a broken or VM.