A basic lesson I learned from more experienced breeders.
Keep these in mind when selecting for breeding.
In order of priority
1. Type - Hardest to change. So always keep body type on top of the list when selecting. Do not breed two weak traits together, like poor shoulders to poor shoulders. That will set poor shoulders in the bloodline. Breed poor shoulders to good shoulders or great shoulders, then select the best shoulders out of the litters to keep for breeding.
2. Fur/wool - Fur or wool quality is important trait of many rare breeds because they were developed for their fur or wool. So maintain the proper fur/wool type. Rollback or Flyback? Should the wool have more guard hairs or less guard hairs?
3. Color - Color genetics are very well defined and as such color is considered to be the easiest to change in rabbits. Avoid introducing traits that can pop up in later litters, like silvering or harlequin or vienna marking, unless the breed calls for it.
Using the above as a general guideline helped me to focus on the important things, to ignore the less urgent things, and to look at the overall picture. Not many rabbits have the whole package, so sometimes two out three ain't bad.
Have a good day!
Keep these in mind when selecting for breeding.
In order of priority
1. Type - Hardest to change. So always keep body type on top of the list when selecting. Do not breed two weak traits together, like poor shoulders to poor shoulders. That will set poor shoulders in the bloodline. Breed poor shoulders to good shoulders or great shoulders, then select the best shoulders out of the litters to keep for breeding.
2. Fur/wool - Fur or wool quality is important trait of many rare breeds because they were developed for their fur or wool. So maintain the proper fur/wool type. Rollback or Flyback? Should the wool have more guard hairs or less guard hairs?
3. Color - Color genetics are very well defined and as such color is considered to be the easiest to change in rabbits. Avoid introducing traits that can pop up in later litters, like silvering or harlequin or vienna marking, unless the breed calls for it.
Using the above as a general guideline helped me to focus on the important things, to ignore the less urgent things, and to look at the overall picture. Not many rabbits have the whole package, so sometimes two out three ain't bad.
Have a good day!
