Nail color and milk production---

[Frosted Rabbits]

Anyone hear this--I heard it from another AmChin breeder a couple years ago, wonder if anyone else had- (but this was about AmChins.. ..)

The darker the nails on a doe, the more milk she produces.

Would this be breed specific, or in the whole rabbit population? I did notice my darker coated AmChins took better overall care of their litters.

 

[ottersatin]

Hey Terry,
would you like to buy a Bridge?
I have a GREAT deal for you! [Or anyone else]
Ottersatin. ldtimer: :mbounce:

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Don't laugh-- everything is polygenetic, even simple MEN!!!! Besides, I don't need a bridge, I have oceanfront property in Tennessee- much more valuable

 

[eco2pia]

Well, I don't know about this particular case, but it seems to me there could be very good reasons for this to be true, at least locally. If one successful breeder happened to like darker chins and was careful to breed for large weaning weights, that alone could explain it.

In other species, there have been cases where coat color is tied to more internal characteristics--mixed-breed cattle around here are often bought as red-white-face or black. The assumption is that the black ones will be leaner because they have Angus blood, while the red ones will have more marbling because they have Hereford blood---and it is true often enough that it is a reasonable assumption.

 

[expertsalon]

Don't have any idea if this is true or not. But I think nails does't have anything to do with the milk production. But if that is true, there is/are reason(s) with such thing and hope others can answer your concern and will share the answer here.

Thanks.

 

[akane]

I would agree that it's possible breeders or a local breeder bred for darker chins and milk production at the same time causing a difference. Otherwise toenail can't have anything to do with milk production. It would just be a series of coincidental characteristics. If it does apply to your local chins it may not apply to any other chins in the country and probably doesn't apply to any other breed. However in some breeds black is often bred back to because they are found to be hardier with better coats and production abilities. This is probably just because black was one of the first colors of most breeds aside from chestnut, has been worked with the most, and has a larger gene pool than some of the less common colors rather than coat color actually directly impacting other characteristics.