-Another post from the old blog:
Wool is without doubt the most difficult thing to learn about an angora rabbit. Bodies take some practice feeling and learning what makes good type and what doesn't, but wool is much more complicated because it varies so much with each individual rabbit. The standard gives an excellent written description of what constitutes a good coat, but you will never know for sure what that means until you get your hands into lots of wool, eyeball it very carefully, and determine for yourself what a balanced coat truly is.
FAs typically have one first baby coat, a second baby coat (or 1st senior coat), and then an increase in guard hair with each successive coat until density and yield begin a total decline around age 3. Many FAs can successfully be shown in their later years, but typically we need to consider the 2nd and 3rd senior coats to be the Prime coats on an FA---the best you'll ever get---the peak of wool condition and quality. When we assess a coat on our rabbits we really need to ignore judge comments on early coats, (strange as that may seem), because a "good" baby coat will almost always be faulted for being too soft. In the very beginning a very young baby will have a preponderance of guard hair but that is only because the underwool has not started to grow in yet. By age 6-8 weeks the balanced coat begins to grow in earnest, and by the time a bunny is 4-5 months old the wool should be quite soft and require grooming approx. every 4 days to keep it healthy and tangle-free. Now, when I say soft I don't mean "cottony", even in the baby coat. Cottony means that when you scrunch the wool together in the palm of your hand it kind of bunches up and sticks to itself. It does NOT fall free, and it has a distinctly "sticky" quality without actually being sticky. Does that make sense, LOLOL?? A cottony coat also has no form, very little shape, and pretty much just sticks out all over the place (when it is in PEAK condition, not when it is on the decline or about to molt).
A good baby coat is soft but still has good texture. It falls free but still has lots of underwool. If you see a baby coat that is primarily guard hair by about 3-5 months, I would consider very carefully whether I wanted to keep that rabbit. Guard hair always increases in an adult coat, and a baby with no underwool will certainly not have any as an adult (which may be rewarded on the show table by judges looking for a "brillo pad" quality, but it is not something you want to perpetuate in your breeding program:( ).
Now, once the baby coat slips, molts, and is harvested, it is time for the 1st senior coat to come in. At this point the wool on a 6-9 month old rabbit should contain guard hair, but it will not be as predominant as the wool in senior coat #2, and you will continue to see a higher ratio of underwool. At this stage you will begin to hear more favorable comments from judges on texture, but they will still say that a coat is often too "soft". I have heard other breeders say that French coats are much softer nowadays, but this is actually not true. What they are most likely seeing are rabbits without fully developed coats who are soft longer because the holding time of the FA has increased, and also density that has improved drastically so that we see FAs with greater underwool as part of a more "balanced" overall coat.
The second senior coat represents the apex of what your rabbit is capable of producing in quality wool in it's lifetime. At this point, you can listen wholeheartedly to judge's comments on texture (provided he/she is a good judge of wool), and use this rabbit for breeding knowing precisely what you will be passing on to the offspring (of course, there is no rule that says you can't breed an FA at 9 months before all this happens:)).
Anyway, a good, correct Senior coat should have neither too much Underwool nor too much Guard Hair. Guard hair should protrude approx. 1/4 inch above the underwool, and when you rub the coat the wrong way (from tail to head) in Prime condition it should drift back into place softly and drape gracefully over the rabbit. There should be a definite shape to the coat. It should be oval and massive, feel strong and lively, and not be coarse or cottony (this is terribly confusing to understand but you will get the hang of it once you feel it often enough:)). If you grab a handful of it a well-textured Prime coat will spring back into place, whereas a dead (slipping or molting) coat will just fall out of your hand and hang limp. Also, you want to try to breed for an even distribution of Guard Hair (not patches of Guards and Underwool all in different places), and remember that the most points on an angora coat are always for density, followed by Texture, followed by Length. Crimp should be evident in the underwool (little zigzags in the strands), and "there should be sufficient underwool to balance the guard hair".
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and see you next time!:-)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Black
--Another post from the old blog:
In addition to my favorite FA color, REW, I am also in love with all the Self colors:). Since I am not a spinner and don't get to see the effect of each color in yarn (which might make me prefer different ones, LOL), I breed for the colors that I think will make the biggest impact on the showtable OR are easiest to breed for uniformity and intensity of color. REW is an obvious choice for showing simply because there are very few DQs that a white rabbit can have (aside from crooked tails, teeth and actual physical deformities). Also, a White rabbit of almost any breed will always have greater wool/fur quality, yield, and density (for reasons that I'm not quite sure of that I will have to investigate in the future).
Self colors (IMO) are wonderful simply because they are stunning when bred for good intensity and there is nothing that distracts your eye away from the whole rabbit when it is on the showtable. A rabbit with a Broken pattern can sometimes appear to be "broken up" when posed, and your eye is likely to be drawn away from the wool and type of the rabbit to focus more strongly on the color pattern instead. (Btw, I do not mean to criticize the broken variety in any way, this is just an observation that I have made while at shows:) ).
The most dramatic Self color of all tends to be Black, for obvious reasons:). I have bred huge numbers of this color over the last several years but have kept very few because while they are stunning to behold in full coat, they can also be a nightmare to breed in terms of scattered white hairs/silvering, and other problems that occur. It is not that these problems emerge with less frequency in every other Self color (or any other variety for that matter), it is just that the Black variety is the opposite of White in that EVERY, TINY, little imperfection, spot, hair, and inconsistency shows up dramatically, and you see judges scrutinize this variety to no end simply because everything there is so obvious .
According to Glenna Huffmon's book, "Rabbit Coat Color Genetics" intensity of Color primarily has to do with Plus and Minus modifiers. On pg. 99 she says,
"The plus modifiers will produce larger areas of color, while the minus modifiers will enlarge and extend the areas of white. It all depends on the balance between the two factors. On a self-colored animal, no white is usually the ideal coloration-that is no small white spots and no scattered white hairs in the coat. However, with the presence of too many of the minus modifiers, the solid colored animal may show some white hairs or small white spots in the normally colored coat."
"The self-colored animal with 80% plus modifiers and 20% minus modifiers should still have a solid colored coat. Even 50% of each will usually result in a colored coat with no white. However, when the percentage of minus modifiers outnumbers the plus modifiers, such as 20% plus modifiers and 80% minus modifiers, those annoying white spots and hairs can show up. These white spots usually appear on the head, belly, chest, toes, and feet."
To correct white spots and hairs, she says,
"Breeders of rabbits with lilac and/or blue varieties are no doubt already aware of the modifiers that can result in more intense and darker coloration as opposed to those that lighten the basic color to a lighter shade. It takes a great deal of careful selective breeding on the rabbit breeder's part to get and keep the desired shade. These color intensifiers are not the result of just one gene. There needs to be a large number of them accumulated for them to have the desired affect on the final coat color. They cannot change the blue to black, but they can control the darkness or lightness of the blue color. It all depends on the ratio of dark to light modifiers present."
So in other words, each color is subjected to the effect of modifiers (most notably the Self varieties), but certain Selfs will more clearly express differences in intensity because they are a lighter color in general (Lilacs and Blues for ex.). Blacks and Chocolates will not necessarily get darker in overall body color, but you will see less of the stray white hairs and spots that plague these varieties and stand out so clearly.
I spoke with a number of breeders and read info. from several sources, and it appears that the best way to improve your Self colors and eliminate white hairs and spots is simply to cull out the rabbits who express them, breed only the best colored offspring, and breed like color to like color for as long as it takes to increase plus modifiers to the point where any trace of white in a rabbit's coat is eliminated. What I have done lately is to keep the best Blacks in my breedings that express few if any white hairs, and this year I will begin breeding them to each other in order to produce better bunnies of this variety and repeat the same color combination for several generations in a row.
* Quick note* A judge who didn't have much experience with Angoras recently told me that he thought most Angoras looked as though they had snips of white on their front feet. What I believe he was referring to was the fact that the footpads on a dark Angora variety like Black are light gray underneath and often 'push up between' the toes when the bunny is sitting, making it seem as though the feet have silver or white hairs on them. ALWAYS make certain that the color you are seeing is not really coming up from underneath a bunny's foot--- check your little toes carefully:).
*Also--the same principle applies to 'silvering' that can appear right beneath the bunny's nose (silver color, not white). White on TOP or anywhere around the nose can be a DQ but a 'silvery' (kind of faded black color) is normal on the upper lip of some darker color varieties (I see it regularly in my Blacks and Sables but they are never penalized for it at shows).
Also, I would like to mention in closing that there are other factors that can cause white spots/hairs in rabbits, and one of these is the Steel gene. Since I had quite a bit of Steel floating around in my lines it was entirely possible that the snips/hairs on the rabbits I had in the past was due in part to the presence of Steel, but at this point I choose to treat it as a modifier as I tackle the Steel gene at the same time using Torts, Pearls, and Fawns.
Anyhow, so this is a little bit about the color Black, one of my favorite colors aside from White, LOL. I may have missed info. here but will continue to do research as I go until I achieve the color quality I am looking for:).
In addition to my favorite FA color, REW, I am also in love with all the Self colors:). Since I am not a spinner and don't get to see the effect of each color in yarn (which might make me prefer different ones, LOL), I breed for the colors that I think will make the biggest impact on the showtable OR are easiest to breed for uniformity and intensity of color. REW is an obvious choice for showing simply because there are very few DQs that a white rabbit can have (aside from crooked tails, teeth and actual physical deformities). Also, a White rabbit of almost any breed will always have greater wool/fur quality, yield, and density (for reasons that I'm not quite sure of that I will have to investigate in the future).
Self colors (IMO) are wonderful simply because they are stunning when bred for good intensity and there is nothing that distracts your eye away from the whole rabbit when it is on the showtable. A rabbit with a Broken pattern can sometimes appear to be "broken up" when posed, and your eye is likely to be drawn away from the wool and type of the rabbit to focus more strongly on the color pattern instead. (Btw, I do not mean to criticize the broken variety in any way, this is just an observation that I have made while at shows:) ).
The most dramatic Self color of all tends to be Black, for obvious reasons:). I have bred huge numbers of this color over the last several years but have kept very few because while they are stunning to behold in full coat, they can also be a nightmare to breed in terms of scattered white hairs/silvering, and other problems that occur. It is not that these problems emerge with less frequency in every other Self color (or any other variety for that matter), it is just that the Black variety is the opposite of White in that EVERY, TINY, little imperfection, spot, hair, and inconsistency shows up dramatically, and you see judges scrutinize this variety to no end simply because everything there is so obvious .
According to Glenna Huffmon's book, "Rabbit Coat Color Genetics" intensity of Color primarily has to do with Plus and Minus modifiers. On pg. 99 she says,
"The plus modifiers will produce larger areas of color, while the minus modifiers will enlarge and extend the areas of white. It all depends on the balance between the two factors. On a self-colored animal, no white is usually the ideal coloration-that is no small white spots and no scattered white hairs in the coat. However, with the presence of too many of the minus modifiers, the solid colored animal may show some white hairs or small white spots in the normally colored coat."
"The self-colored animal with 80% plus modifiers and 20% minus modifiers should still have a solid colored coat. Even 50% of each will usually result in a colored coat with no white. However, when the percentage of minus modifiers outnumbers the plus modifiers, such as 20% plus modifiers and 80% minus modifiers, those annoying white spots and hairs can show up. These white spots usually appear on the head, belly, chest, toes, and feet."
To correct white spots and hairs, she says,
"Breeders of rabbits with lilac and/or blue varieties are no doubt already aware of the modifiers that can result in more intense and darker coloration as opposed to those that lighten the basic color to a lighter shade. It takes a great deal of careful selective breeding on the rabbit breeder's part to get and keep the desired shade. These color intensifiers are not the result of just one gene. There needs to be a large number of them accumulated for them to have the desired affect on the final coat color. They cannot change the blue to black, but they can control the darkness or lightness of the blue color. It all depends on the ratio of dark to light modifiers present."
So in other words, each color is subjected to the effect of modifiers (most notably the Self varieties), but certain Selfs will more clearly express differences in intensity because they are a lighter color in general (Lilacs and Blues for ex.). Blacks and Chocolates will not necessarily get darker in overall body color, but you will see less of the stray white hairs and spots that plague these varieties and stand out so clearly.
I spoke with a number of breeders and read info. from several sources, and it appears that the best way to improve your Self colors and eliminate white hairs and spots is simply to cull out the rabbits who express them, breed only the best colored offspring, and breed like color to like color for as long as it takes to increase plus modifiers to the point where any trace of white in a rabbit's coat is eliminated. What I have done lately is to keep the best Blacks in my breedings that express few if any white hairs, and this year I will begin breeding them to each other in order to produce better bunnies of this variety and repeat the same color combination for several generations in a row.
* Quick note* A judge who didn't have much experience with Angoras recently told me that he thought most Angoras looked as though they had snips of white on their front feet. What I believe he was referring to was the fact that the footpads on a dark Angora variety like Black are light gray underneath and often 'push up between' the toes when the bunny is sitting, making it seem as though the feet have silver or white hairs on them. ALWAYS make certain that the color you are seeing is not really coming up from underneath a bunny's foot--- check your little toes carefully:).
*Also--the same principle applies to 'silvering' that can appear right beneath the bunny's nose (silver color, not white). White on TOP or anywhere around the nose can be a DQ but a 'silvery' (kind of faded black color) is normal on the upper lip of some darker color varieties (I see it regularly in my Blacks and Sables but they are never penalized for it at shows).
Also, I would like to mention in closing that there are other factors that can cause white spots/hairs in rabbits, and one of these is the Steel gene. Since I had quite a bit of Steel floating around in my lines it was entirely possible that the snips/hairs on the rabbits I had in the past was due in part to the presence of Steel, but at this point I choose to treat it as a modifier as I tackle the Steel gene at the same time using Torts, Pearls, and Fawns.
Anyhow, so this is a little bit about the color Black, one of my favorite colors aside from White, LOL. I may have missed info. here but will continue to do research as I go until I achieve the color quality I am looking for:).
Monday, November 10, 2008
Hindsight
If I had to design my rabbitry all over again (which could someday be a reality if I were to suddenly get rich or knock over a bank, LOLOL!), then I would do some things differently.
My current setup utilizes the standard cage stacks with plastic duratrays. While this is an excellent system for saving space, it does require alot of manual labor because the trays obviously have to be pulled out, carried outdoors for cleaning, and then carried back in. Metal trays are next to impossible to use in a system like this (although some men can handle them well) because they are just horrendously heavy, especially for cages full of does with good-sized litters.
The other thing I don't like about stacks is the difficulty of reaching rabbits in the top and bottom-most cages. Although this doesn't pose an insurmountable problem at present, I can see where it would get much more difficult as I get older and way more arthritic, LOL.
If I had to do it again, I would construct one long building with a single row of cages extending from end to end on both sides. I would have no cage smaller than 30 X 36 inches (and maybe 30 X 48 for breeding does), and there would be no cage trays at all if I could find some way to build pits or remove manure often enough so that nothing smelled and there wasn't a big fly problem. Even if I decided to continue using trays in this situation, it would be easier to slide them in and out at waist level than to raise and lower them constantly from the top to the bottom.
I would continue to use no urine guards, but my bucks would be separated from the does as they are now. I would continue to use no hay racks, but shove the hay through the bars near the doors as I do now. I would line my barn walls with some sort of easy-clean plastic or vinyl material and leave a gap between the rows of cages and the wall for easy cleaning (unless I could find some way to hang cages from the wall but remove them easily one by one) .
I would have wider aisles then I have now to enable myself to spin around completely holding a cage tray, if necessary. I would have shelving on either end to hold feed buckets and other equipment. I would put one or possibly two doors on either end of the building to make it easier to drag cages in and out (and the doors would be wide enough to fit cages through easily).
I would have numerous vents everywhere along the sides and ends of my building with hinged flaps covering them to open and close as I choose. I would also need to keep the whole rabbitry as predator proof as possible but if I could manage it, I would love to be able to open the sides of the building completely in the summertime for maximum air flow.
I would continue to use the crock-loc feed dishes that I use now which are more of a pain to dump than the 'J' feeders, but much easier to toss into the dishwasher and sterilize, and much kinder to an angora's furnishings.
An automated watering system has always been a big temptation and I may yet install one someday, but for now it seems important to be able to accurately gauge how much each rabbit drinks each day. Since Angoras are prone to woolblock and one of the first symptoms of a blockage is decreased feed/water intake, I feel like it is dangerous to take the manual labor out of this part of my operation, at least for now.
There are many other things I would do if I had to do it all over again, but this is a list of the most immediate concerns. I have left the issue of climate control out (heat in winter and A/C in summer), but that is only because the temps in this part of the country are not usually as extreme as they are everyplace else. If that should change or I feel that climate control is needed someday, then I would reconsider that too.
I got quite a bit of grooming done this week and there are lots of older juniors in long coats who need attention now, LOL. Below I have posted a few pictures of Spang's Devaki, a Sr. doe who was going to be bred this fall but who refused to cooperate, so she will head off to the showtable instead:-). Devaki is a beautiful girl who is not necessarily the densest rabbit in my barn but who is extremely well balanced. Once her coat comes all the way in (the guard hairs on her sides reach all the way down to the table and she is bigger in general) , then she will be ready for some action at the shows and maybe pick up some legs if she's lucky, LOL.
More again next time. Have a great week!:^)
My current setup utilizes the standard cage stacks with plastic duratrays. While this is an excellent system for saving space, it does require alot of manual labor because the trays obviously have to be pulled out, carried outdoors for cleaning, and then carried back in. Metal trays are next to impossible to use in a system like this (although some men can handle them well) because they are just horrendously heavy, especially for cages full of does with good-sized litters.
The other thing I don't like about stacks is the difficulty of reaching rabbits in the top and bottom-most cages. Although this doesn't pose an insurmountable problem at present, I can see where it would get much more difficult as I get older and way more arthritic, LOL.
If I had to do it again, I would construct one long building with a single row of cages extending from end to end on both sides. I would have no cage smaller than 30 X 36 inches (and maybe 30 X 48 for breeding does), and there would be no cage trays at all if I could find some way to build pits or remove manure often enough so that nothing smelled and there wasn't a big fly problem. Even if I decided to continue using trays in this situation, it would be easier to slide them in and out at waist level than to raise and lower them constantly from the top to the bottom.
I would continue to use no urine guards, but my bucks would be separated from the does as they are now. I would continue to use no hay racks, but shove the hay through the bars near the doors as I do now. I would line my barn walls with some sort of easy-clean plastic or vinyl material and leave a gap between the rows of cages and the wall for easy cleaning (unless I could find some way to hang cages from the wall but remove them easily one by one) .
I would have wider aisles then I have now to enable myself to spin around completely holding a cage tray, if necessary. I would have shelving on either end to hold feed buckets and other equipment. I would put one or possibly two doors on either end of the building to make it easier to drag cages in and out (and the doors would be wide enough to fit cages through easily).
I would have numerous vents everywhere along the sides and ends of my building with hinged flaps covering them to open and close as I choose. I would also need to keep the whole rabbitry as predator proof as possible but if I could manage it, I would love to be able to open the sides of the building completely in the summertime for maximum air flow.
I would continue to use the crock-loc feed dishes that I use now which are more of a pain to dump than the 'J' feeders, but much easier to toss into the dishwasher and sterilize, and much kinder to an angora's furnishings.
An automated watering system has always been a big temptation and I may yet install one someday, but for now it seems important to be able to accurately gauge how much each rabbit drinks each day. Since Angoras are prone to woolblock and one of the first symptoms of a blockage is decreased feed/water intake, I feel like it is dangerous to take the manual labor out of this part of my operation, at least for now.
There are many other things I would do if I had to do it all over again, but this is a list of the most immediate concerns. I have left the issue of climate control out (heat in winter and A/C in summer), but that is only because the temps in this part of the country are not usually as extreme as they are everyplace else. If that should change or I feel that climate control is needed someday, then I would reconsider that too.
I got quite a bit of grooming done this week and there are lots of older juniors in long coats who need attention now, LOL. Below I have posted a few pictures of Spang's Devaki, a Sr. doe who was going to be bred this fall but who refused to cooperate, so she will head off to the showtable instead:-). Devaki is a beautiful girl who is not necessarily the densest rabbit in my barn but who is extremely well balanced. Once her coat comes all the way in (the guard hairs on her sides reach all the way down to the table and she is bigger in general) , then she will be ready for some action at the shows and maybe pick up some legs if she's lucky, LOL.
More again next time. Have a great week!:^)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Winterizing
Now is the time when nights (and days too) get particularly blustery in the Northeast, and Fall begins to hit with full force. Last week a few days before Halloween we actually had a blizzard that dumped 20 inches of snow in the higher elevations, so we are all now thinking that it is going to be a wicked mean season, LOL.
Rabbitwise cold means nothing, but constant drafts can cause a definite health problem, so it is important to close up a rabbitry at this time of year. There are vents along the eaves of my barn so it is never really airtight (which is important even in winter), but vents on the sides, bottom, and front always get closed so that no one is in danger of getting a straight blast of air and possibly getting ill.
My barn is not as sophisticated as it might be, and I have a really great idea in my head of what it will be some day when there is an opportunity to build a state of the art bunny operation, LOL. For now, here are 2 shots of vents sealed up on the sides and bottom of the building. Ideally these flaps will have hinges on them in the future so that I can close them whenever I need to, but at this point the dh just drills them on and then takes them off in the spring:).
Rabbitwise cold means nothing, but constant drafts can cause a definite health problem, so it is important to close up a rabbitry at this time of year. There are vents along the eaves of my barn so it is never really airtight (which is important even in winter), but vents on the sides, bottom, and front always get closed so that no one is in danger of getting a straight blast of air and possibly getting ill.
My barn is not as sophisticated as it might be, and I have a really great idea in my head of what it will be some day when there is an opportunity to build a state of the art bunny operation, LOL. For now, here are 2 shots of vents sealed up on the sides and bottom of the building. Ideally these flaps will have hinges on them in the future so that I can close them whenever I need to, but at this point the dh just drills them on and then takes them off in the spring:).
Another EXTREMELY important job in the fall is to remove, disassemble, and thoroughly clean every fan in your rabbitry before putting them away into storage. I have 2 heavy duty industrial fans at either end of my building, and they usually need to be cleaned several times over the course of the summer, especially if they were running all day, every day. Here is a pic of them drying in the sun after cleaning.
Another management requirement to consider at this time of year is putting mousetraps in every corner of the barn. On this property we have a regular incursion of voles every fall and winter because they come up the hill from the garden in search of shelter and an easy meal. We set traps in the fall and continue to catch the annoying pests into the spring, baiting and resetting traps daily or weekly as necessary.
A deep cleaning, OR, at least pulling cages away from the walls and cleaning thoroughly in every corner is another good idea in the Fall. After numerous litters and rabbit rotations in every part of a bldg during the year, chances are good that there is hay and gunk built up behind everything that needs to be removed. Air exchange is not as good over the winter as it is during the rest of the year, so it is good to start out as clean as possible.
More again later as the winter temperatures kick in and bunny coats begin to R-E-A-L-L-Y grow:) Fall in the NE is Angora weather alright, the very best time of a rabbit year:^).
Sunday, October 26, 2008
What is a Grand Champion?
Another post from the old blog. Please be patient while I switch them all over!:-)
Today I thought I would write an entry to try to answer the question of what a 'Grand Champion' is and what significance should be attached to this title. I suppose this is a topic that may be viewed as political and in some ways it certainly is, but since there are many people who are new or looking to purchase new stock for the first time in the rabbit world, it is important to understand what 'titles' and 'legs' mean, and how important they are in assessing the quality of a rabbit line.
First of all, a Grand Championship can only be earned when a rabbit has had 3 wins which have earned him/her 3 legs. A 'win' qualifies as a 1st place in any class, or a 1st place out of several classes combined, as in the case of BOV (Best of Variety), BOS (Best Opposite Sex), and BOB (Best of Breed). A 'leg' can only be earned toward the Grand Championship (GC) if there are at least 5 rabbits in any class being shown by at least 3 exhibitors. IF there are less than this number being shown in a class OR in the whole show, a rabbit can still be awarded 1st place or BOB and proceed to the Best in Show table, but the win will not technically 'count' and the rabbit will not be able to earn a leg towards the championship with it.
There are many instances in which a GC may be earned or 'engineered' (for lack of a better word), and it is very important to keep this possibility in mind when looking at the pedigree of a prospective purchase. A GC is NOT necessarily a superior rabbit, and a rabbit who readily earns a championship in one area may not necessarily be able to accomplish the same feat in a location with more competition or a higher level of quality in the breed.
Since Angoras are relatively uncommon in the US there will naturally be certain areas where they are numerous, and other places where they are practically non-existent on the local show circuit. The ethics of this practice may be controversial, but there is no rule against entering unregistered rabbits in a show under more than one name, so 'competition' can often be artifically created when 1 or more breeders enter their animals in such a way as to qualify the winning rabbit for a leg. I am not attempting to pass judgment on this practice, but merely pointing out that it is certainly possible to manufacture impressive pedigrees without actually showing an animal under rigorous competition. Always be sure to question breeders as to what the level of competition normally is at their shows, and whether or not there were more than 3 exhibitors physically present at the shows where their Champions were produced.
Indications of the true quality of a line can be observed in the following situations:
1-The breeder's animals regularly win or place in the top half of sizable classes with large numbers of exhibitors in local shows.
2-The breeder's animals regularly win or place in the top ranks of their classes at National shows, particularly the ARBA Convention.
3-The breeder occasionally or frequently wins Best in Show in the Open class (which is awarded out of every breed of rabbit in a show)
4-The breeder consistently shows quality stock and places well in stiff competition with different animals, not just the same rabbits week in and week out over several consecutive show seasons.
Again, I do not want to insinuate that people who do NOT show in highly populated areas do not have animals of high quality, OR that people who do not show or earn GCs at all are not raising excellent rabbits. Indeed, there are some breeders whose rabbits have never been shown, granded, or even registered who often have better stock than the breeders who show every weekend and have very fancy pedigrees. It is purely a matter of preference whether a person chooses to submit their rabbits to showtable evaluation or not, and when push comes to shove the true measure of quality is in the general reputation of the breeder and the quality of the animals they breed. A reputable breeder will always answer questions directly and will never knowingly misrepresent their stock. For those who DO show, the good thing about winnings on a pedigree is that the buyer can use this information to dissect a line further and interpret the meanings of titles that were assigned.
In conclusion, there will always be honest breeders, and not so honest breeders:(. Research sources for stock by contacting breeders with relevant questions. Speak to people who can refer you to reputable rabbit raisers, and use common sense when faced with a situation (or breeder) who does not seem altogether truthful. It is important to strive for as many GC quality animals as possible in your breeding program, but be aware--also--of what a title means and doesn't mean. Do not be fooled into thinking that a highly decorated animal is necessarily any better than the one who has rarely been shown or has never seen the outside of a barn. In the final reckoning it is the overall quality of a line that counts, not the number of awards or legs a certain rabbit has accumulated. EVERYTHING is relative, remember. Especially in the show world:^).
Also, here are some current events before I finish this post:). I have been busy grooming mature coats this week and culling my herd down to final numbers before the next litters come, and I took several pictures of some of the keepers. My oldest juniors are now approaching 5-6 months of age with the rest being younger, and I've bred 3 more does for PA Convention jrs. Also, speaking of conventions! The big National ARBA Convention starts this week and I'm sure people are frantically getting ready and grooming their bunnies before the judging starts, <:-O. Obviously I am still at home and not one of those people, LOL, but I may attend 2010 and will most definitely be at 2011, since it should be swinging back to the east coast by then and there will be no excuse not to go, LOL.
This is a beautiful Fawn buck out of Morwenna's last litter who I went back and forth about selling but who I have now decided to keep because of his great balance and type.
And this is a horrible picture of a Chestnut buck tentatively named Angelo. Sorry about the blue lines. Argh!
And this is one of two Pearl does out of Oomi who are so close in quality that I kept them both to see how they develop:
And this is the very best doe/rabbit that has come out of last summer's breedings. I don't know what her senior coat will look like so I may have to eat my words yet, LOL, but as of now she has the best type, balance, and wool out of everyone, and I am hoping that she'll do well in the future. Her name is Spang's Magdeline:
And next here, believe it or not, is an F3 NZ/FA cross doe in her first Sr. coat! She has not grown it in all the way yet and I don't think her texture is as perfect as it should be, but she should make nice babies for the next generation, and she will be ready for the showtable if her coat looks good in a few months.
And last of all is the pick of Morwenna/Oberon's last litter, a very promising Tort doe at 4 months of age.
Have a great week and best of luck to all the Convention goers!!!!:^)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Rabbit Personalities
(the above rabbit is Spang's Evariste, one of my favorite does and definitely in the 'Inquisitive' category, LOL. She is friendly, happy, and a wonderful breeder and mother, proving the author's point in the article below:-)
I recently read an article that talked about the personality of a doe and how it seemed to directly relate to mothering ability. This was an excellent example of observation on the breeder's part because I have noticed similar patterns in my own herd and have spoken to other people who have noticed these characteristics as well.
Basically this article addressed 4 distinct personalities. The first profile typed the really aggressive doe (not necessarily a biter but a rabbit who is high strung and ferociously protective of her nest and babies). According to the author, this type of doe tends to be a very attentive mother, but is also more likely to trample babies out of stress, cannibalize them, or simply hurt the litter out of fear (like during a thunderstorm, for ex.).
The second type is the kind of doe who is very timid. This kind of mother can either be great or terrible, depending on whether she stays calm enough to do her job or allows her 'emotion' to get the best of her. If this type of doe gets frightened or feels threatened, she may neglect her litter entirely.
The third personality is the 'lazy' doe. According to the author of this article this is the WORST kind of rabbit to use simply because it does not care about breeding, kindling, mothering, or much of anything when it comes right down to it. These are the rabbits we work hard to get bred for months (or even years) but who refuse to cooperate, and these are the ones who drop babies on the wire with total disregard for the nestbox, and who refuse to care for them in general (in my own experience, these does often never get milk at all).
The 'lazy doe' personality type is the worst to have in the opinion of the author. This animal is simply not worth having because it is impossible to use for breeding, and apathy in this area is not something to perpetuate in future generations.
In the Angora breeds, the 'lazy doe' personality type is fairly common. Without pointing a finger or mentioning any specific breed, there are certain lines of Angora that have been selected for such docile personalities that they have completely lost the desire to do anything 'rabbit-like' such as breeding and raising litters. These animals, though they make excellent pets and woolers for certain people, are very often disastrous for breeding programs because they refuse to breed, kindle well, or nurse. No matter what the quality of any animal is, it should be culled immediately if the genetic material that makes it so wonderful cannot be extracted and easily reproduced.
The 4th doe personality type is what is called the 'Inquisitive' rabbit. According to this breeding article this is the most desired and excellent of all doe personalities. This rabbit is friendly, curious, and outgoing. She does not mind the breeder fiddling in her cage or with her litters, and is always pleased to see people and be cared for. She is not fidgety, nervous, or aggressive, but has a healthy attitude toward her surroundings and caretakers. These are those RELIABLE does we love so much!!:).
Anyway, I thought these classifications were really excellent, and I agree with them wholeheartedly. Aggressive rabbits are never preferred even when they don't actually bite, but they do tend to conceive well and raise healthy litters. Timid does can do the same as long as they are calm, and theirs is the personality type that thrives best with a predictable managment schedule. Lazy does have nothing going for them in any breeding program for the most part, and should either be culled or slated for the pet/wooler market. Inquisitive rabbits are undoubtedly the best animals, and I have correlated this type in my barn with the best and most reliable producers, too.
French Angoras in general tend to have more active personalities than the other Angora breeds, but they are also known as superior breeders and mothers, so I do not think this is a coincidence. It also seems clear that since a commercial bodied angora is dual purpose by definition, it is just as important for them to produce meat as it is to produce wool. The French, Satin, and Giant Angoras have commercial bodies, and this versatility is key to their survival, IMO. FAs continue to be popular because they are low maintenance, vigorous, and highly successful in the breeding/meat department, and commercial standards are acceptable because they are capable of high production and rapid gains in type and wool quality.
I recently read an article that talked about the personality of a doe and how it seemed to directly relate to mothering ability. This was an excellent example of observation on the breeder's part because I have noticed similar patterns in my own herd and have spoken to other people who have noticed these characteristics as well.
Basically this article addressed 4 distinct personalities. The first profile typed the really aggressive doe (not necessarily a biter but a rabbit who is high strung and ferociously protective of her nest and babies). According to the author, this type of doe tends to be a very attentive mother, but is also more likely to trample babies out of stress, cannibalize them, or simply hurt the litter out of fear (like during a thunderstorm, for ex.).
The second type is the kind of doe who is very timid. This kind of mother can either be great or terrible, depending on whether she stays calm enough to do her job or allows her 'emotion' to get the best of her. If this type of doe gets frightened or feels threatened, she may neglect her litter entirely.
The third personality is the 'lazy' doe. According to the author of this article this is the WORST kind of rabbit to use simply because it does not care about breeding, kindling, mothering, or much of anything when it comes right down to it. These are the rabbits we work hard to get bred for months (or even years) but who refuse to cooperate, and these are the ones who drop babies on the wire with total disregard for the nestbox, and who refuse to care for them in general (in my own experience, these does often never get milk at all).
The 'lazy doe' personality type is the worst to have in the opinion of the author. This animal is simply not worth having because it is impossible to use for breeding, and apathy in this area is not something to perpetuate in future generations.
In the Angora breeds, the 'lazy doe' personality type is fairly common. Without pointing a finger or mentioning any specific breed, there are certain lines of Angora that have been selected for such docile personalities that they have completely lost the desire to do anything 'rabbit-like' such as breeding and raising litters. These animals, though they make excellent pets and woolers for certain people, are very often disastrous for breeding programs because they refuse to breed, kindle well, or nurse. No matter what the quality of any animal is, it should be culled immediately if the genetic material that makes it so wonderful cannot be extracted and easily reproduced.
The 4th doe personality type is what is called the 'Inquisitive' rabbit. According to this breeding article this is the most desired and excellent of all doe personalities. This rabbit is friendly, curious, and outgoing. She does not mind the breeder fiddling in her cage or with her litters, and is always pleased to see people and be cared for. She is not fidgety, nervous, or aggressive, but has a healthy attitude toward her surroundings and caretakers. These are those RELIABLE does we love so much!!:).
Anyway, I thought these classifications were really excellent, and I agree with them wholeheartedly. Aggressive rabbits are never preferred even when they don't actually bite, but they do tend to conceive well and raise healthy litters. Timid does can do the same as long as they are calm, and theirs is the personality type that thrives best with a predictable managment schedule. Lazy does have nothing going for them in any breeding program for the most part, and should either be culled or slated for the pet/wooler market. Inquisitive rabbits are undoubtedly the best animals, and I have correlated this type in my barn with the best and most reliable producers, too.
French Angoras in general tend to have more active personalities than the other Angora breeds, but they are also known as superior breeders and mothers, so I do not think this is a coincidence. It also seems clear that since a commercial bodied angora is dual purpose by definition, it is just as important for them to produce meat as it is to produce wool. The French, Satin, and Giant Angoras have commercial bodies, and this versatility is key to their survival, IMO. FAs continue to be popular because they are low maintenance, vigorous, and highly successful in the breeding/meat department, and commercial standards are acceptable because they are capable of high production and rapid gains in type and wool quality.
More again next time, and enjoy the Fall weather!:-)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Selection For and Against Traits
According to the same book I've been discussing for the last three entries (Rabbit Production), certain traits have certain degrees of heritability. On pg. 326 the authors say that,
"In general, traits related to fertility and disease resistance are lowly heritable (<15>40 percent)".
Improving traits that are lowly heritable is accomplished by establishing culling levels rather than by direct selection. In other words, to breed better mothers or does who conceive more readily with fewer misses, simply cull out does who do not take care of their babies or continually fail to conceive.
Improving traits that are moderately to highly heritable, on the other hand, is best achieved through Direct Selection. For example, if you are trying to improve the density on your FAs (a moderately heritable trait), then you should select and breed only those rabbits who display superior wool/density, and gradually your herd will improve in that area.
A place where much more specific selection must take place revolves around the color genetics of a herd. In this case, rabbits are born with specific genotypes (genetic codes), and when we breed them together those codes are combined in various ways in the offspring. Selective culling to get rid of certain color traits will not work in this instance, because simply getting rid of a baby who is a Chinchilla will not eradicate the Chinchilla gene in the parents or your herd. In order to completely get rid of certain genes in an offspring they must be selectively and intentionally bred out. Even Direct Selection will not eliminate undesirables, because choosing to breed only those rabbits who are NOT Chinchilla won't work. The gene can be carried even though the rabbit does not express it. Genes may lurk for generations until specific breeding combinations bring them out, and this is especially obvious in the area of color .
If I am looking to eliminate Chin from my litters completely (just as an example), the only way to do it would be to breed a Chin Carrier to a REW, and the resulting babies will then be devoid of 'chd' because of the contribution of a small c from the white parent. In color genetics, rules of selection apply that do not come into play with other traits.
There are many ways to select for and against different traits in a rabbit herd. Although methods may vary, the most important thing to remember is that breeders need to select clear goals for their herds and then stick to them! Circumstances change and goals alter whenever we learn something new, but as long as you choose your methods of selection and stand by them for the long term, your herd will progress. I once asked a very well known rabbit breeder what she considered the most important factor in developing a winning herd and she said, "Consistency". Understanding how trait selection works goes a long way toward increasing the quality of your herd, and is well worth the effort and research:).
"In general, traits related to fertility and disease resistance are lowly heritable (<15>40 percent)".
Improving traits that are lowly heritable is accomplished by establishing culling levels rather than by direct selection. In other words, to breed better mothers or does who conceive more readily with fewer misses, simply cull out does who do not take care of their babies or continually fail to conceive.
Improving traits that are moderately to highly heritable, on the other hand, is best achieved through Direct Selection. For example, if you are trying to improve the density on your FAs (a moderately heritable trait), then you should select and breed only those rabbits who display superior wool/density, and gradually your herd will improve in that area.
A place where much more specific selection must take place revolves around the color genetics of a herd. In this case, rabbits are born with specific genotypes (genetic codes), and when we breed them together those codes are combined in various ways in the offspring. Selective culling to get rid of certain color traits will not work in this instance, because simply getting rid of a baby who is a Chinchilla will not eradicate the Chinchilla gene in the parents or your herd. In order to completely get rid of certain genes in an offspring they must be selectively and intentionally bred out. Even Direct Selection will not eliminate undesirables, because choosing to breed only those rabbits who are NOT Chinchilla won't work. The gene can be carried even though the rabbit does not express it. Genes may lurk for generations until specific breeding combinations bring them out, and this is especially obvious in the area of color .
If I am looking to eliminate Chin from my litters completely (just as an example), the only way to do it would be to breed a Chin Carrier to a REW, and the resulting babies will then be devoid of 'chd' because of the contribution of a small c from the white parent. In color genetics, rules of selection apply that do not come into play with other traits.
There are many ways to select for and against different traits in a rabbit herd. Although methods may vary, the most important thing to remember is that breeders need to select clear goals for their herds and then stick to them! Circumstances change and goals alter whenever we learn something new, but as long as you choose your methods of selection and stand by them for the long term, your herd will progress. I once asked a very well known rabbit breeder what she considered the most important factor in developing a winning herd and she said, "Consistency". Understanding how trait selection works goes a long way toward increasing the quality of your herd, and is well worth the effort and research:).
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