Larger LItters: double pregnancy?

[cereshill]

On the Yahoo meatrabbit board, there has been a great discussion of litter size, breeding philosphy etc. I won't bore you all, but one gal is insisting that larger litters over 10 is the result of a double mating and pregnancy in both horns.

THoughts???

I have no dog in the fight.

 

[DevonW]

All rabbits can be pregnant in both horns no matter what the size of the litter, or amount of times they were bred. In fact a rabbit can give birth to a couple kits one day from one horn, and a full two days or more later a couple more kits from the other side (I had it happen with a Mini Rex litter, with 4 babies). It has to do with the amount of eggs the doe is capable of producing. Some does just aren't able to produce more then a certain about of kits no matter how many times she ties with the buck.

 

[Anntann]

Seems we had this conversation over on HT a few months ago. Those with decades of experience all said the same thing: Doesn't matter how many times they're bred...sometimes they'll have large litters with 1 breeding, sometimes only 2 or 3 with multiple breedings.

Like Devon said...all depends on how many eggs the doe releases. Now....there is the problem of the doe needing to be stimulated to release the eggs. Breed in the morning, and only the one time and she may release and sperm may or may not reach the eggs...but fresh sperm in the evening, or the next day, and you're sure to get fresh sperm to the newly released eggs.

 

[trinityoaks]

Just from my little bit of experience, here's a small example: Two of my Zil does kindled today. Branwyn let the buck breed her only once, and had a litter of 8. Her sister, Dot, let the buck breed her twice, but had a litter of 7.

 

[cereshill]

So, if you mate multiple times. How long do you space them out? I have been spacing an hour apart.

 

[trinityoaks]

So, if you mate multiple times. How long do you space them out? I have been spacing an hour apart.

We had five does to breed to our only remaining buck, so we did the Cals on one day and the Zils a couple of days later. The goal was to give each doe her first breeding, wait a couple of hours, and then give each doe her second. The buck was good for two breedings in a row before he wanted a break, so each doe had about 4-6 hours between breedings.

 

[DevonW]

I don't like to go beyond 12 hours between breedings unless, I'm not 100% sure they bred during either of those breedings. I've had a buck who would get a little too excited and miss, needless to say I've learned not to stand so close.

 

[Half Caper Farm]

I don't like to go beyond 12 hours between breedings unless, I'm not 100% sure they bred during either of those breedings. I've had a buck who would get a little too excited and miss, needless to say I've learned not to stand so close.

:lol:

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Sperm is viable for about 48 hours.So all depends on the timing of the egg release,which is why its possible for kits to be born over 2 days.For the sake of the kits I would just have the buck in once and let them have a few ties at that time.This is most likely why there are runts as they were "started hours and possibly over a day later which is a big deal in a 30 day gestation.