New Zealand Blue genetics?

[Diamond]

I have invested in some breeding stock New Zealand blue rabbits. I am needing enlightenment on the genetics behind the New Zealand blues. Where did they come from? And what can they be bred to? I noticed that there is NZ red in the pedigree of one pair I bought, and NZ black in the pedigree of the other.

BTW I have not been here in awhile - super busy between work, horses, and the farm. Rabbits have taken off like crazy, I think I have around 14 breeding does, 4 bucks, 6 junior does for replacement stock, 2 junior bucks and a ton of growouts. We are still covering the feed bill most months with money made from selling fryers, breeding stock, and teaching the Meat Rabbit 101 classes every 4 to 6 weeks. Got in touch with a regional online rabbit group that has been helpful with networking on a local level.

 

[Dood]

I believe originally the blue/dilution gene was added by out crossing to Satins.

I'm not sure why red would be in your rabbits history! Sends up some red flags for me as your buns may carry non extension and give you torts if linebred or inbred.

 

[Diamond]

I have 2 sibling pairs (buck/doe) whom I planned on breeding to eachother, and also crossing into my black bloodlines.
What is really ironic is that I bought my black doe from a different rabbitry than my black buck, but they both have a common blue grandsire (who is not related within 4 generations of the blues I purchased). The black doe has some big NZ white in her background as well.

 

[LauraNJ]

Some use American Blues, know a prominent breeder who has an American blue he used, it is now 16 generations back. His look totally NZ but that is where he got his blue color from.

I would think different breeders used what breed they had convenient to them for those that have created it. I was considering blue NZs, they are nice!

 

[WallTenter]

You can breed to blacks. Your first generation kits will only carry blue (unless the black you used happened to carry a dilute gene itself).

As far as the reds being in there, I would suggest getting a tort or red and test mating at least your herd bucks - if they have any torted kits show up (in several litters, preferrably, 8 kits is a -bare- minimum), even just one, then you know your buck is carrying a non-extension (so he's Ee).

Honestly though color should always come second to type type type. I would not suggest breeding a white because they can carry so many other genes under that white mask, but if you are seriously committed to having good blues and you can't find any great blacks to work with then usually whites are available in great quality and quantity.

I think you would be FAR FAR FAR better off crossing out to a white (again if you can't find a good black) than to an American Blue - the Americans have totally different body type, growth, meat to bone, etc. and it would take you more years to get good type than it would to get the right color if you crossed out to a white.<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:38 pm __________<br /><br />Oh and there is a site online somewhere I think it was a color crossing guide for mini rex - same thing would work for your NZs.

 

[Diamond]

Thanks, H! I am very happy with my NZ black lines and think that I will stick with the blue/ black crosses. I like the concept of breeding to the red to see what is 'really in there', this I will do with the blue buck who carries red in his pedigree, it will be a chance to break him in as a junior and have a crop of just meat rabbits for freezer camp.

I do have good faith in the large white buck CFR 90" from Celestial Fields being white all around, Whitney is very honest and works hard at making a good name for herself in the New Zealand rabbit business. She has earned her champions and grand champions with a lot of hard work and commitment. CFR 90 may have something besides white hiding way back there somewhere, but I feel that he's worth the risk to bring size into some of my color breeds.

 

[LittleBit1]

I have some Blue New Zealands and would post some pics if someone would tell me how. I am new on here, so I am not sure how to post pics. Thank you.

 

[Homer]

I have some Blue New Zealands and would post some pics if someone would tell me how. I am new on here, so I am not sure how to post pics. Thank you.

This will help.http://rabbittalk.com/post16857.html?hilit=picture attachments#p16857

Note: If your pictures are to big they won't load. Right click your thumbnail and "Open With" Paint. Choose resize and set them to 800 pixels wide. Save them under a new name and try to "attach" them again.

 

[Zass]

I do have good faith in the large white buck CFR 90" from Celestial Fields being white all around, Whitney is very honest and works hard at making a good name for herself in the New Zealand rabbit business.

REW is like a white blanket thrown over a rabbit's colors. Each REW rabbit still has two genes on each color locus, and each rew kit inherits one gene on each locus from each of it's parents.
They have to have either agouti, tan or self genes, along with full extension, steel or non extension, dilute or non dilute, etc. The only thing we know for sure is that they have two copies of the most recessive gene on the color locus (c)

It just so happens that all of those other genes are hidden, and, since rew is very recessive, breeding rew to rew only ever produces rew.

So, a breeder would never know what a rew rabbit's full color genotype is without test breeding to non-rew rabbits.

Of course, it doesn't matter in the slightest if REW is bred to REW, since those genes can only ever show up when rews are bred to other colors.

__________ Mon Nov 09, 2015 3:54 am __________

I'm pretty sure someone in my area is going to start a New Zealand blue line with Silver Fox as the blue color source.

I happen to know what is in much of the local meat mutt lines.
Lots of folks will call mutts purebred (especially NZ) to make a sale.

Buyers sometimes like what they see and decide to build a pedigree. It doesn't really matter so long as they make weight and have the correct type, which makes what Wall Tenter said even more important.