Question

[Ole Mule]

I only keep two does and one buck so my question is how long will they produce before I have to replace them with new breeding stock? My original buck and doe are about 18 months old and my other doe is about 9 months old. I have only raised three litters off the first doe and now one off the other. So when should I plan on replacing them. One other question how long will the buck stay fertile I like him and would like to keep him as long as possible as the Buck for making babies?

 

[katiebear]

I have asked that before...it mostly depends on how often you breed..if it's not much..you should be able to get several years...if the litters get smaller or start to have problems then replace.. someone told me they have an 8year old buck still going strong..

 

[akane]

Bucks will breed in to old age. I think my chocolate mini rex buck was 8years old when finally retired from starting 4 different rabbitries. Does should breed as long as they stay healthy. You have to feed them carefully. They often put on too much fat as they get older so fertility drops and there are risks of cancer. You also have much more frequent loss of female animals to complications than males.

 

[GBov]

I had an eight year old doe producing litters like a champ, her litters dropped to 4 per litter by that age but she produced 8 pounds of meat every 12 weeks for her last two years so more than earned her keep.

My does don't loose their place due to age, only for health reasons. Smaller litters fatten faster so they don't worry me.

Our does become more pets than the bucks do. They are much more likely to be replaced than a doe, any issues on their parts and they are out the door but our does get chance after chance.

In fact we have a doe loose in the back yard right now so she can have all the weeds she would like to eat and an easier surface to live on than wire. Due to several things going wrong all at once she got very bad feet and right off her food. So, until she gains weight, gets fur on her feet again and the scabs heal, she has free run of the yard. The dogs arnt half jealous. :lol: But if she had been a buck, nah, I so wouldn't be sitting on the ground petting her several times a day.

 

[wamplercathy]

I've asked this exact question when I picked out my first trio. And like some have already stated it depends on how often you breed them, how well you keep them in fighting :lovers: weight, and their care. From what Grumpy told me, "Some people will burn out a doe in 18months, others can get several great years from them."

I take this as responsible breeding is key.

Personally I plan to start raising replacement stock around the time Coconut and Tartar are 18 to 20 months. My current does might be good for 8 years or may not. If I keep a couple of the most promising does from the 2 I have then they should be breeding ready by the time Coconut and Tartar are 2 1/2-3 years. To get this done I'll need a pure NZW buck. Just so the litters are pure.

As for my buck I am planing on getting a pure cal. I love Cumin, he is super sweet, but I think I'll get better little weight if I cross to pure bloods versus a mix and a pure.



So when it's all said and done I'm going to need a trio of cals and at least 1NZW buck. :twisted: I don't have a problem. I swear. :lol: :lol: :lol:

That's just my plan for the future. Hope that helps a little.

 

[akane]

I did not find well bred does burn out provided they are fed accordingly. My creme d'argent was horrible when not pregnant and stressed herself out so I just kept letting her get pregnant in colony back to back. For 4 years she raised 8-10kits most months out of the year. She would drop off in winter and it would be 4weeks before they came out of the nest and she was willing to breed for another litter. This was her own doing in our subzero weather. In summer the bucks would go sterile for a month or 2 so again she'd have her breeding slowed down. She was still popping them out in full health aside from her coat looking a bit ragged sometimes when I decided to quit raising argent breeds and wandered off into a variety of mutt mixes bred to different meat:bone ratios and sizes for human and animal use.

 

[Truckinguy]

I"m not sure about the does but Fred is 6 1/2 years old now and still going like a champ. His mate for about two years was Morgan and her litters kept getting smaller until she had health problems and I put her down. Fred is now with two of his daughters from Morgan and the last three litters that have been born here have been 11 kits. I don't think you can burn out a buck!

 

[grumpy]

It's easy to burn up a doe if you use an 11 or 14 day breed-back. I'm not
saying all will fail, but a goodly portion will. There are strains developed
for this type of breeding regime. Most meat stock cannot hold up under
these quick breed backs.

Personally, I'm not quite that hard on my stock. One of my 4 year old
doe's just kindled 9 fat little dudes with Ping-Pong ball belly's. Of course,
once they're up and ready to move, most of the girls will go into replacement
pens. It's her 16th or 17th litter, I'd have to tally the litters on the three
hutch cards I've got on her.

Those Tamuk bucks I brought in "might" allow me to increase production,
but I doubt that I will. My purpose for them is to see if they'll increase
weight gain in my market fryers.

Grumpy.