Removing sore hocks from a line

[Naelin]

Hello!
I have recently started a colony of standard satin rexes with a trio. Standard rexes are very hard to find in my country, and I've got what I could get - There is no shopping around for the best breeding stock here.
Today, I noticed one of the does has the start of sore hocks on her front paws (she has some bald spots, almost like toebeans), despite being mostly on solid floor. Of course, I want to remove this trait from the line, but I will have to start with what I have. These rabbits have very, VERY narrow feet, which I read contributes to it, and this doe is related to the buck, so he probably carries the same traits.

Of course, I cannot wait for every single kit to reach adult size to see which one gets sore hocks. Even worse, these rabbits are quite small so I intended to work on size and form as well, which would exacerbate the issue if I'm not careful.
What characteristics would you seek in the kits to choose the next breeders? Wider feet, thicker fur? anything else?

 

[Alaska Satin]

Hello!
I have recently started a colony of standard satin rexes with a trio. Standard rexes are very hard to find in my country, and I've got what I could get - There is no shopping around for the best breeding stock here.
Today, I noticed one of the does has the start of sore hocks on her front paws (she has some bald spots, almost like toebeans), despite being mostly on solid floor. Of course, I want to remove this trait from the line, but I will have to start with what I have. These rabbits have very, VERY narrow feet, which I read contributes to it, and this doe is related to the buck, so he probably carries the same traits.

Of course, I cannot wait for every single kit to reach adult size to see which one gets sore hocks. Even worse, these rabbits are quite small so I intended to work on size and form as well, which would exacerbate the issue if I'm not careful.
What characteristics would you seek in the kits to choose the next breeders? Wider feet, thicker fur? anything else?

It sounds like you're operating in an environment similar to mine: not a lot of options for most breeds in Alaska, and prohibitively expensive to bring them in. I would (and have, actually) consider crossbreeding, to bring some new characteristics into the Rex line. Don't necessarily cross everything you have, but a judicious pairing with a rabbit with excellent feet and footpads might go a long way to improving things, for you, your rabbits, and for everyone down the line who wants to raise Rex.

I'd start with the doe that's having problems right now; I would cross her with a robust buck of another breed. If the Rex buck is a relative, he may or may not have the same tendency, but as you note, that pairing could result in increasing the problem, or even setting it in your herd. Pick the sturdiest buck you have (of any large breed). Perhaps the Fauve de Bourgogne buck? I have never seen that breed, but if he's big and has well-furred feet, he might be helpful. A Californian buck could work, too, and might be a boon in terms of size and type; at least in the US, Cals and Rex are supposed to be about the same size (roughly 8-10.5lbs, depending on sex). I'm sure you know that it's possible to get back to seeing rex fur in the F3 generation, but if it was me, I'd play the long game and really work to build up the size, type and health of the Rexes any way I could, even if it took several generations. My impression is that you're raising meat rabbits, anyway.

I'm having great results with my Champagnes, which when I got them, developed sore hocks 100% of the time. I've crossed them to my Satins and New Zealands, and not only has the sore hock issue disappeared (at least for now), but their type has improved as well. (I'm also helping develop the new St Hubert breed, since the colors of the kits that result from a NZRed x Champagne cross work that way.) Originally - in the 1990s - I used a Californian doe to improve my Satins; all it took was one Cal doe, and I'm still seeing the incredible muscle tone and width of loin - which is what I selected her for - in her Satin descendants.

But yes, in the purebred Rex kits, I'd select growouts with widest feet and densest fur. I'd also prioritize width in the hindquarters, since a pinched or narrow foot set can increase the tendency to develop sore hocks. (Narrow chest/pigeon breast can also affect the front feet the same way.) Flip the bunnies over, and once they're relaxed, look at how parallel and widely set the back feet are.

You're looking for this, or as close as you can get:

I'd consider this a bit narrow, but not pinched:

 

[Mckatie]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts ,knowledge and pics @Alaska Satin . I really seeing like the photos to help clarify.

 

[Naelin]

Thanks a lot @Alaska Satin !

Unfortunately, my Fauve buck died a while ago due to a pasteurella breakout and I later discovered that he was a genetic mess (and probably caused the outbreak) - The last kit I kept from his descendants died of just about everything (I made a post about her I think).
My Fauve doe, however, is alive, well and the best of my rabbits, and her feet are wide and very dense. I am quite sure she has some Flemish Giant blood going on her, but her kits dress out very nicely anyway.

All that said, the only almost-adult buck we have at the moment is the rex doe's brother, who has more well-furred feet but has pinched hips and is very small (He's still not at his adult size, but his sister is 11 months old and she's 2.5kg/5.5lbs, while my cali is 4.2kg/9.2lbs. All "Standard" rexes here are this size).

I have two male kits from my Fauve girl crossed with a meat mutt of nice shape and size (and colour genes), and my Californian doe is due next week from this same buck, though she has small litters and they come out very skittish (And she is already on her third strike)
I will pick up whichever male has the best characteristics from those two litters, which will probably be from the Cali (Though it gives me pause to keep a breeder from a doe that pops out 3-5 live skittish babies per kindle, when Jupiter gives me 7-8 bundles of love) and start building from there.
The rex doe that currently has healthy feet is also the one with the best shape, so that's good.

I originally planned on keeping the rex line "pure" thinking I would ruin something if I cross them, but in reality they came with no pedigree and are quite far from the actual rex standard. Your recommendation about crossing them with a better rabbit made me rethink it and will probably be the best way to actually get them to said standard (And give some colours, as all rexes I've seen around are tricolors, including mine)

I will note here, regarding raising for meat, that I got the rexes with the intention of selling to make up for the expenses (that's why I went for a somewhat rare breed with pretty colours) and slowly build the breed up while my fauve girl keeps giving me the bulk of the meat. I will probably resort to use one of the two rex does to breed to the rex buck for selling while I go into the improvement project with the other until I get to F4 at least. Any opinions on this are welcome.

Attached are pictures of the trio, to illustrate what I'm working with (The tricolor tuxedo pattern is called Jaguar here and seems quite sought after)