Is this doe too old to breed?

[Winterwolf]

I was looking for a new doe to add to my breeding program and had a local breeder offer me a good price on a nice senior doe. But she's already four years old and I had someone tell me that does shouldn't be bred after three years. I only want one litter from her and then I plan on retiring her and breeding the does from her litter. Is she too old to breed, or do you think one more litter won't hurt her?

 

[Preitler]

Four years is not that old. If she is in good health I don't see a reason why not.

For commercial breeding when top performance is an issue 3 years may be the time to replace a doe.

A breeder some houses down the road from me has a doe with 8 years, he says it's getting more difficult to get her bred.

 

[Marinea]

I'd ask the breeder some questions- how many litters has she had, when was the last one, how did she do with that one. In addition to giving the doe a thorough hands-on check. If you are satisfied with the answers, go for it.

 

[Winterwolf]

Thank you! She comes from good lines and has a good record as a mother, so I think I'll go ahead and take her. Like I said, I only want one litter from her, and then I'll let her retire if she wants to.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have some does still having good litters at 6 years old. I breed them until they don't meet my minimum standards, -- I sometimes breed older does I know are "over the hill" because I want a few more replacements from them before I cull them.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I sometimes breed older does I know are "over the hill" because I want a few more replacements from them.

I've kept does five years or more if they have been good producers and good mothers and produce daughters that are the same. Often, they'll have smaller litters, but I'm less concerned about litter size - I'm looking for replacement stock. (Obviously, that only works if you've got extra space you can spare for that older doe and her grow-outs.)

If you're looking to get just one or two litters from her, and if she looks good and has a solid track record, then go for it!

 

[Tiny Buns]

The issue we had with an older doe was the long period not being used for breeding. I though this would be good but underused is as problematic as overused. She was gifted to us at 4 yo and had only been bred 1-2 times within her first year. Two litters, both successful. The problem was the 3 years of inactivity. She looked sleek and fit, but she had accumulated a significant amount of fat around her organs preventing pregnancy--you would never have guessed by looking at her or weighing her.

I'd want to know if an older doe was used too much (like on a commercial schedule) or used too little (2-3 year period of inactivity but still on a pellet heavy diet).

 

[akane]

Rabbits do accumulate fat without it being noticeable. They pack it in around the reproductive organs and then you'll have problems getting them bred. Not that it can't be done but breeding them after a break or when fat often takes extra time and work to get them interested and then pregnant with some risk of complete failure.

 

[Winterwolf]

Rabbits do accumulate fat without it being noticeable. They pack it in around the reproductive organs and then you'll have problems getting them bred. Not that it can't be done but breeding them after a break or when fat often takes extra time and work to get them interested and then pregnant with some risk of complete failure.

Will that cause complications when the doe tries to give birth?

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have had good luck breeding older does who have become fat by reducing the feed a little at a time until the top line [feel of the spine and loin] shows them to be just a little bit thin [underweight], then holding them at this feed amount that maintains the "just a little underweight" condition for 3 weeks, then increase the feed amount to "normal" for a week, then breed them--


and yes, being too fat can cause "complications " in us all--