So who do i keep?

[Mrsmegary]

My plan was to start off with just meat mutts. I started with 2 mutt does and a buck (they are 12ish weeks now i think). Well a couple days ago i found someone giving away a few mini lops. They are so beautiful. So now i have 1 (2yr old) Mini lop buck, 2 (5m old) mini lop bucks, 1 (5mo) mini lop doe, 2 mutt does, and 1 mutt buck.

I am obviously clueless... but wwyd? I dont know about inbreeding at all so please dont judge lol,
The three 5mo lops are siblings... should i keep one younger buck , or the 2 year old since he is not related?
i so want to keep one of the younger bucks because they are tri colored, but is that dumb? Should i not even care since they are just to feed our family, and maybe sell a couple in the future as pets?

Posted a pic of one of the 5mo boys.

 

[Andrei]

Why do you want to raise rabbits?
Based on the answer you make the decision.
If only for fun then you keep the one you like and do not inbreed for health reasons.

 

[Mrsmegary]

do not inbreed for health reasons.

Thanks, that is the answer i needed to hear. I was confused on if that caused problems, bc i read conflicting info on inbreeding rabbits, and when to do it and when to not do it.

 

[MaggieJ]

Inbreeding in rabbits is not the problem it can be in other animals. All inbreeding does is intensify the existing characteristics, good or bad. If you have healthy rabbits you are unlikely to see any problems.

Since you will be breeding at least partly for meat, in the unlikely event that you do see a defect or tendency toward a health problem that could be genetic, send those rabbits to freezer camp. In other words: "Keep the best and eat the rest."

Many, many people linebreed and inbreed rabbits for years with no problems. I've only twice brought in a new rabbit since I began with them in 2005 and the strain gets better and better.

 

[Andrei]

I think it is done when one plans to create a champion and maintain/concentrate certain quality of the parents.
But it is not Natural.

 

[Sinnfox]

But it is not Natural.

in nature animals don't have the stigma humans do about inbreeding...they just see viable mates. the only thing preventing it to a larger extent is predation for the most part

 

[Mrsmegary]

opcorn:

 

[ottersatin]

do not inbreed for health reasons.
This statement is not true!
The only reason inbreeding would or could cause
or bring about a health or even a genetic problem
would be because the breeder is not making the
correct choices of who should be bred to whom.
The person making those choices may not know
who to discard and who to keep. With proper choices
and proper culling one can hurry along the genetic
improvement of all aspects of their Rabbits/Herd.
Without proper breeding techniques there would be
NO improvement overtime in the Rabbits that we see
through the use of proper breeding/Inbreeding
that has been done over the vast number of years that it has!
And it is through these techniques that we have the vast majority
of breeds available to us that we see.
I am all for Line-breeding and inbreeding.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[ArtPick]

Mrsmegary that's a great photo

 

[Mrsmegary]

Mrsmegary that's a great photo

 

[tailwagging]

My plan was to start off with just meat mutts. I started with 2 mutt does and a buck (they are 12ish weeks now i think). Well a couple days ago i found someone giving away a few mini lops. They are so beautiful. So now i have 1 (2yr old) Mini lop buck, 2 (5m old) mini lop bucks, 1 (5mo) mini lop doe, 2 mutt does, and 1 mutt buck.

I am obviously clueless... but wwyd? I dont know about inbreeding at all so please dont judge lol,
The three 5mo lops are siblings... should i keep one younger buck , or the 2 year old since he is not related?
i so want to keep one of the younger bucks because they are tri colored, but is that dumb? Should i not even care since they are just to feed our family, and maybe sell a couple in the future as pets?

Posted a pic of one of the 5mo boys.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
LOVE his color!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Andrei]

But it is not Natural.

1. the stigma humans do about inbreeding...
2. they just see viable mates. the only thing preventing it to a larger extent is predation for the most part

1. Should not be any stigma since Adam & Eve started human kind thru incest.
2. If one study animal world will see that they have very strict rules to prevent inbreeding. A virgin bee queen will fly farther then the drone just to make sure she does not mate with her half brother.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Well, I have my meat rabbits AND I have 3 extra bucks because "I like them" AND I have an extra trio of Calis because I don't know which set will produce better. All of this to say I am going to be no help to you.<br /><br />__________ Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:09 pm __________<br /><br />Oh, and don't worry about inbreeding or line breeding. If you start seeing undesirable characteristics then you can infuse genetics from a new line with traits you want.

 

[AmysMacdog]

I love that buck!! You could find him a mate and have 2 pair or as suggested breed him to the doe you have to get more that color and keep a doe from that litter. What color is the little doe?

 

[Mrsmegary]

I love that buck!! You could find him a mate and have 2 pair or as suggested breed him to the doe you have to get more that color and keep a doe from that litter. What color is the little doe?

she has just a spec of the black on her, but is mostly the orange and white. And i think that is what i am going to do! Im relieved to hear that other people have done it with no problems. After all there mostly going in our bellies lol

 

[Andrei]

2 heads in the soup does not hurt.
Joke.

 

[Dood]

What other color rabbits do you have? You may not get kits his colour if the does are not a compatible colour and the discussion about inbreeding will be moot point.

Most domestic animals are highly inbred and usually for the better. The problems arise when people don't choose breeding stock based fitness but on superficial traits such as colour or they purposely select for harmful traits because they appeal to them.

The first symptoms of excessive inbreeding is reduced fertility and increased susceptibility to disease. You won't get kits with two heads or other macro mutations.

 

[Mrsmegary]

2 heads in the soup does not hurt.
Joke.

:lol:

 

[Secuono]

Wait, so what are these rabbits for in the end? Just meat or meat that is fun to look at or something else?

 

[Mrsmegary]

Wait, so what are these rabbits for in the end? Just meat or meat that is fun to look at or something else?

Well with my meat mutts just meat, but now im excited about my free pretty lops, and am curious about keeping them tri colored because i love the way they look. But really its just to feed my family, and then maybe pet a couple out in the distant future depending on how well they do providing for us......
Just curious because i have to make a decision on which bucks to cull, since im still really new to this.