What is she?

[avdpas77]

Commercial NZW's usually have thin heads, no use using a lot of feed to produce something one doesn't eat. Now, I haven't show rabbits in years, but in about 1970 this would have been a very good NZW show doe.

She is not posed, but by the looks of her she would most assuredly be considered a NZW then, and a rather good one at that. In fact, the second picture is almost the "spittin' image" of the print ARBA used to use in their book.

 

[Anntann]

ahhh. Well. hrrmmm...She's certainly got a BIG HEAD, I must say :razz: I shall reconsider my evaluation of her. I MUST get to a show, and SOON! Need to see, in person, what's what. This doe is certainly producing now. 10 kits, all happy and fat and squirmy. With 3 runts and only 2 dying, I'm pretty happy with her. AND she's not aggressive. She's not happy about being picked up...but then neither am I! :razz2:

Now if she could JUST deliver a white kit....sigh.

OH!!!! OH!!!! just had a thought...I can breed her to the Beveren or the American BUCK!! Definitely get some color there. Or save one of the bucks from this litter to breed back to her...Or breed to Mama-san. I don't mind a little line breeding We'll see how the weights and health progress.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Black is dominant to REW always unless the black carries one rew gene! then you might get rews. All the kits do carry one rew gene though so you are half way there! There is also a very strong possibility that the white doe is genetically black (or blue) herself. If she hid agouti/red then you would have got chestnuts. That many black kits most likely means she is self.

 

[Anntann]

I'm thinking about keeping one of the kits as a replacement for Peter or in addition to him. His kits are all nice and big and grow well, but these seem to be REALLY thriving. Have to see how it goes. The doe has certainly turned into a good momma. I need to get them out again and get weights. The doe isn't eating a LOT of pellets, and she's very tidy. Unfortunately she uses the VERY BACK END of the 4' cage ---behind the nestbox, as her litterbox. :roll: Hardest spot to get to in the entire rabbitry. silly rabbit.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Excellent!! That's what you want; a doe that produces thriving kits all the while not eating you out of house and home!! See how the kits do with their feed intake and its all good!

 

[rabbitgeek]

New Zealand/Flemish Giant Cross?

Flemish have a semi-arch body type, same as Beverens and Americans. Their ears can have a spoon shape, compared to the longer pointier ears of Americans. Flemish also have dense rollback fur coats.

And Flemish are often crossed to New Zealands to increase body size.

Just my guess. Your mileage may vary.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

 

[Anntann]

OOooo. That's a possibility. She's much calmer now with the kits, so I might try to photograph her actually posed a bit. I need to get a weight on her post delivery, too.

 

[avdpas77]

She sounds like a great meat doe no matter what she is. I am sure that in 40 years the NZW standard has evolved. The crossbreeding synergy of growth seems to be in place, so it looks like you will have plenty for the freezer the next few years.

 

[Anntann]

She's certainly a good brood doe. She was very good with the buck, settled right away, didn't have any problems kindling, and if I'd been bright enough to have a 2nd or 3rd doe kindling the same time, I would have 12 kits running around.

BY THE WAY!! The huge nestbox works GREAT! It's 12" wide, and 24" long. The kits are already romping around in it. There's hardly any hay or fur left in it. The doe started taking it out when it got so bloody hot. I assume she'll put some back in Sunday (supposed to get down to 60 at night), although the kits are furred now. But this morning I was watching them run up and down inside the box. It has the normal "look" with a shelf on the top back end...but the side that is toward the inside of the cage is cut down so Doe can enter from the end OR the side.

 

[rabbitgeek]

Here is the link to American Federation of New Zealand Rabbit
http://www.newzealandrabbitclub.net/

Look at the round outline of the body on the rabbits on the top of the page. That is the New Zealand body type, called medium or commercial type. The upward rise of the topline (backbone) begins immediately behind the head. Compact, not long.

Here is the link to Natl Federation of Flemish Giant Rabbit Breeders
http://www.nffgrb.com/Flemishphotos.html

See the photos. The body type is semi-arch. Much longer and the upward rise begins behind the shoulder.

Something else to consider about Flemish is the bone. It should have good, heavy bone to support the weight of a giant rabbit weighing 14 lbs and up, there is no maximum weight limit.

On New Zealand bone should be medium heavy. Not as heavy as the Flemish. Heavy bone displaces the meat content of the carcass. More bone is less meat. So using a Flemish cross to increase body size also increases bone size and reduces meat content.

Your mileage may vary.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Think that's a pretty accurate guess Rabbitgeek! I agree with you.

 

[Anntann]

The kits are all roaming around now. and they're REALLY long. interesting critters. bah. I NEED to get a weight on each of them. TODAY! someone kick my butt....

 

[Miss M]

*POW!* Hey, you told me to.

 

[rabbitgeek]

Another possibility is the rabbit is a small specimen of the Flemish Giant breed.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

 

[Anntann]

:lol: STOP with the possibilities already! Each time someone says something new, I go look up all the pictures online and in books that I can find, and then compare them with this silly girl. (who I think may be called snow white, since she is now surrounded by 7 dwarfs!) I look at her, compare heads, paws, lengths, body types, ears, ... and then I figure YAH! that must be what she is! until the next option comes along! :razz:

I am FIRMLY committed to the idea that she is an excellent specimen of the breed MEAT RABBIT. :razz2:

 

[Shara]

lol, I guess she is, huh?

 

[rabbitgeek]

It's too bad we can't see her in person.

Sometimes it's the way they stand or the way the fur moves or the way they run that really gives a sense of what breed it comes from.

Have a good day!

 

[Miss M]

:rotfl:

So... are the seven dwarves Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Grumpy...

 

[Anntann]

:rotfl:

So... are the seven dwarves Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Grumpy...

They're all BLACK and identical...must come from working in the mines and being covered in dust....

Although there is one who's REALLY ticked off when I pick him up...

 

[jamesdenish]

I thought he looked like an American too. Most likely, New Zealand is a bad type, I agree that New Zealand non-commercial and entertainment. I see the quality of venison, and I had the money business. The boy was his kind of long, flat body. Your skin is a bit different from yours as well. I recently fired, and replaced him with a son who has a body type better.