Loose skin?

[ThunderHill]

Hi! I've struggled to get some larger does to keep as breeders, and have one now I've let grow out a bit longer to evaluate because she was larger than the others I've had. She's over 8 lbs at 15 weeks, has good broken markings and body type is fine, however she has more skin than any other growout we've had. I've seen it called "butt ruffle" or "skirt," and just wanted to ask if this is considered a negative trait, or if there would be any benefit to breeding it in to the herd? I raise New Zealand rabbits for meat and maybe someday for the kids to show. What is your experience with this? Do they grow out of it, does it make it harder for them to keep their backsides clean, etc.? Thanks!

 

[ThunderHill]

Here are a few pictures. Just weighed again at 17 weeks now and 9 lbs. Her mother is only 9.5 lbs full grown. A little long and narrow in the shoulders and back feet aren't quite as wide as I'd like, but they aren't bad and that's the fastest growout rate we've ever seen. Plus I've read that longer bodied does tend to have more kits. What do you think? I don't really have the room to just test her out for a litter. If I keep her, she'll have to replace her mom. Is that looser skin something you would pass on?

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

View attachment 29248View attachment 29249View attachment 29250

So pretty

 

[ladysown]

As a clerk for several rabbit shows I've seen large breed rabbits win with skirts.

 

[ThunderHill]

As a clerk for several rabbit shows I've seen large breed rabbits win with skirts.

Thanks!

 

[MuddyFarms]

Many of my Rex have skirts; I have also seen plenty of other breeds with skirts. They don't have any issues keeping clean. Some of the kits will start getting them from a fairly early age, too. The thread where we were talking about this was geared toward Rex, but @SableSteel had some input about it. Here is the thread with her post:

https://rabbittalk.com/threads/fat-or-genetics.34462/post-335486

 

[ThunderHill]

Oh yeah, I remember reading that thread. Thanks for linking it!

While I'm still not sure if I want to encourage the loose skin trait in the herd, I don't think I can pass up that growth rate on a doe without getting at least one litter from her to see how they grow out. Her mom is smaller, but very sweet and an amazing milker and good mom, so maybe she'll pass on those traits.

And it turns out, a different doe I had kept to breed has turned out to be just awful, so a spot just opened up! This one is the only rabbit I've ever had lunge and bare teeth at me, plus her three kits barely look fed (less than half the size of other kits born the same weekend) and are covered with urine daily. So I've fostered them over to another doe who kindled the day prior and will be removing this doe from our breeding program. I hope the size difference isn't too great at this point for them to thrive in their new litter (8 total kits now - 5 chunks and these three little guys), but I couldn't leave them with that terrible mom. I put them with the mom of the skirted doe, who like I said is a great milker, so I think they have a good chance.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Jackrabbit]

Most Of My PUREBRED REX have “loose skin”. I actually like it and I think it adds size to my herd. Here is a pic of one of my Broken Amber Does with It.

 

[ThunderHill]

Most Of My PUREBRED REX have “loose skin”. I actually like it and I think it adds size to my herd. Here is a pic of one of my Broken Amber Does with It.View attachment 29340

Aww! She looks great!

I've only been breeding our New Zealands for a few years, but this is the first one we've had with this trait. So I was just curious of others' opinions before I decided whether or not to breed her. You mention it adds size to your herd - do you find a correlation between baggy skin and larger/faster growout rate? (I just realized I'm going to name her Sooki - after The Saggy, Baggy Elephant!). I have decided to let her have at least one litter to see how she does. She's 18 weeks old now (around 9.5 pounds), so I'll probably breed her soon.