The Importance of Good Conformation

---Another post from the old blog



I read some posts on the Meat Rabbit list the other day that made very good sense and bear repeating for a number of excellent reasons. The posts were discussing such issues as sore hocks and other joint problems, and a poster made the important point that culling for good type and correct conformation will eliminate most of these problems in rabbits.

Good conformation is defined as a good structure ('skeletal' type) resulting in correct balance/distribution. A rabbit with good conformation is one which exhibits excellent bone and type for it's breed description, and possesses traits that are considered 'standard' for that type profile. The ARBA standards as we know them have been in place for many years. Contrary to popular belief, they were not developed solely for the purpose of developing animals that are pleasing to look at, but they were created to develop lines that are strong, hardy, and likely to endure into the future.

There are 5 different kinds of type profiles in the ARBA standard: semi-arch, compact, full arch, commercial, and cylindrical types. Since FAs are commercially typed I will focus on that here, but the same principles apply to all breeds in terms of bone, structural quality, and balance.

If a rabbit has good bone (the front leg feels solid when you wrap your fingers around it above the ankle), then chances are excellent that it will gain weight quickly and arrive at the desired weight within an appropriate amount of time. A rabbit with good bone quality is also healthier, thriftier, a better eater, and is more likely pass health and size onto it's offspring.

If a rabbit is nice and full at the lower hindquarter (not pinched or cowhocked), then the foot placement will be straighter and the feet will rest at a better angle on the wire, leading to fewer problems with sore hocks. Also, a rabbit with a wide enough rear foot placement that your flat hand can be slid between both legs will not have problems with urination on the insides of it's legs (something that can cause severe discomfort in rabbits with cowhocks).

Good depth/a proper rise will ensure that the balance point of the rabbit falls over the top of the hip and not behind or before it. This ensures that the rabbit is balanced when it moves and there is no strain over the weaker parts of the skeleton.
In terms of the unique requirements of Angoras and the necessity of being sheared, a smooth body with no protruding hips, bones, or hollow areas (poor meat condition where the flesh has not filled out over the body) will aid greatly in ease of harvest and make it much less likely that the rabbit will be nicked during wool removal.

When culling for better rabbits, always select those babies who feel solid when you pick them up, and who display excellent vigor and good appetite. When checking type on potential keepers make sure that the top of the rabbit begins to rise directly behind the ears (an immediate rise is ideal), and that the loin (very top of the hip) is high enough so that you do not feel the hip bones jutting out on either side. If the loin is high but you feel jutting bones anyway, flip the rabbit over to see whether the back legs are parallel to each other or form a 'V'. If they form a 'V' then there is probably a cowhock/weak lower hindquarter problem causing the tips of the toes to turn out and forcing the hip bones to jut higher up at the same time. Another way to check for cowhocks is to hold the rabbit under the front legs with it's back facing you and dangle both hind legs straight down. If the feet fall straight then the legs are fine, if they turn out in a relaxed position the rabbit is likely cowhocked.

Turn the bunny loose on a flat surface to see how it hops. If the hopping gait is balanced and easy then it probably indicates a well-typed rabbit. If it is awkward and abrupt (or seems to be lagging and off kilter) then there may well be a skeletal problem of some sort.


There are a few type traits that practically never improve on a young rabbit, and there are others that DO often change that we can make allowances for when culling:


Basic NON-changing traits include:

-low shoulders (indicated by a late rise or poor depth)
-lack of depth (long, flat rabbit rather than one that has a direct rise behind the ears and over the hip)
-pinched lower hindquarters/cowhocks
-jutting pinbones (a 'rocky' end)


Basic 'Changeable' traits include:

-width (a rabbit will generally not get any 'higher' but it CAN get 'wider' with age. Traits such as narrow shoulders will generally improve and fill out)
-meat condition (as a rabbit grows and eats, it's flesh condition should improve and harden. As long as the underlying skeleton is good, a breeder can expect that a healthy, well-fed rabbit will improve in this area)

Type traits do not include wool, obviously, as that is a different area that is usually a little harder to define. I have found that while I can often get an IDEA of what the Senior coat will look like based on the baby wool, it is not always as clear cut as type traits may be. A beautiful baby coat does not necessarily indicate an outstanding adult coat, particularly when you are talking about things such as non-synchronized growth which some shearing FA lines still display. The more linebred a herd is, the fewer wildcards there are and the easier it becomes to predict these factors.

Anyway, this is a little about conformation and how important it is for livestock to possess, particularly rabbits. Although there are breeders who keep rabbits strictly for wool/meat who are very conscious of these traits, there are others who feel that type is not important if they do not show. Practically speaking, good conformation should be important to EVERY breeder in the rabbit world regardless of purpose, particularly if they want a strong, thriving herd that is free of breeding and management problems.