What traits might show heat tolerance?

[GypsyTinker]

I have 1 pair Felmish Giant / Meat mutts and 1 pair pure breed NZW and hope to breed a line that can stand the heat.

What traits should I look for to breed in heat tolerance? I was at first thinking white, but then the person I got the NZWs from said that their fur is thick and they are not so good in the heat.

So is there a particular fur type that is good in the heat, or particular color?

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Not really. All that I know and have heard from others is that no rabbit does well in heat. If they are born in a warmer climate they'll tolerate it better than if, say, you brought a rabbit from Michigan down to Arizona and expected it to thrive. But they are not, to my knowledge, ever particularly heat resistant.

Others on here will know better than I will, though. Best of luck!

 

[Dood]

Color is only an issue if they are in the sun - black absorbs more heat than white - but if they are in full shade it doesn't matter.

Large ears and gangly small bodies dissipate heat best but obviously have less meat on their bones. Smaller meat breeds, like Florida Whites, can handle heat better and still dress out well but they only get to 7 pounds as adults.

If you are looking to develop your own line in the long run then rotate your breeders every 6 months keeping any rabbits that breed in the summer heat or seem more heat tolerant and cull the others.

High protein diets create more internal heat that the rabbits must get rid of, so you could also try to develop a line that does well on hays and lower protein foods.

 

[andyva]

http://users.tamuk.edu/kfsdl00/operation_fuzz.htm

Heat tolerant, but not pretty.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

http://users.tamuk.edu/kfsdl00/operation_fuzz.htm

Heat tolerant, but not pretty.

Actually, TAMUK's lines of NZW are exceptionally heat tolerant....Fuzz notwithstanding! :lol:

http://users.tamuk.edu/kfsdl00/rabb.html

I have some of their rabbits in my barn and they bred all through the HOT HOT summer last year with no drop in production or milking. In fact, I fostered my Cali kits to them, since the Cali's did not produce as much milk in the heat. They have longer bodies and their fur is thinner and with longer guard hairs, not so dense. They also have exceptionally long ears.

 

[GBov]

Keep the ones that breed well in the hot weather.

If they dont breed they are hating the heat, no mater how much shade there is.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

I agree with GBov.. keep the ones that do well and breed. other than that most rabbits that are NOT heat tolerant will drop dead anyways thus making your selection for you.

 

[skysthelimit]

So true LOL

 

[GBov]

I have lost my link to the hot weather all year round breeding experiment but they basically made cages that linked to underground chambers with a door so you could check on the kits. That way the rabbits could go underground during hte heat of the day and could breed all summer long, despite the heat.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

My Marsha is very heat tolerant-- She has a proper AmChin coat, and I noticed, does REALLY well on natural forages. So, a rabbit that does well on the lower protein levels may very well be a key point! behavior will show heat tolerance, as well-- Marsha, AND her father PJ, as well as Wild Child, showed activity levels that were higher and lasted longer into the morning than the others. Activity also resumed earlier in the evenings. During the hottest part of the day, the bodies may have been stretched out, but heads were up and interest in what was going on around them was shown, as well... That is why, despite being only a half breed, I want the chance to restart my AmChin breeding, and keep Marshas genetics!!!

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

I have lost my link to the hot weather all year round breeding experiment but they basically made cages that linked to underground chambers with a door so you could check on the kits. That way the rabbits could go underground during hte heat of the day and could breed all summer long, despite the heat.

This is the reason we have problems with heat tolerances in the first place.. rabbits in cages cannot burrow down to the cooler earth like they would in the wild or possibly in a proper colony! That is the exact reason I use air-conditioning in the barn during the heat of summer and supplement some heat during the coldest days of winter, because our rabbits being in cages cannot cool themselves. There are so many things "to breed for" that I won't toss a rabbit just because its too hot for it while its living in a somewhat unnatural environment.I would rather focus on healthy vigor and growth.

 

[DonnerSurvivor]

Check out Altex rabbits they were bred to be a commercial meat breed for warmer climates.