Selecting Quality Breeding Stock
It really helps to know what to look for when purchasing rabbits or choosing which offspring to keep. Champagnes, New Zealand's, and Californians should have a commercial body type. Rabbits with good commercial type have long wide loins and full hindquarters which translates into a solid meaty rabbit. To evaluate a rabbit, it must be posed first ...
Posing a Commercial Rabbit (from Hill Rise Rabbitry)
Make sure the front legs are flat on the table from paw to elbow. Front toes should be under eyes and back toes in line with knees. |
Commercial Type as defined by ARBA judge
Mike D'Amico of Ohio |
The best way to judge a rabbit is to feel it. Pose the rabbit, then run your hand from the base of the neck to the tail. You should feel a smooth rise and nice full hindquarter. The shoulders should have good width. A rabbit with narrow shoulders will have a narrow loin. The loin (space from shoulders to hips) should feel wide and firm.
The highest point of the back should be above the hip. If a rabbit peaks too early, they often have a chopped or pinched hindquarter. Chopped hindquarters drop off suddenly and feel flat and bony in the back rather than rounded and full. Rabbits with pinched hindquarters lack fullness in the thighs and the back feet angle out. The hind feet should be close to parallel and set well apart. Narrow feet set close together or that turn outward are more prone to get sore hocks.
Good depth (height from highest point of back to table) is very desirable and means a longer loin. Many people overpose their rabbits to give the illusion of more depth. If the back toes are in front of the knee joint, you can't see the real depth of the rabbit.
Here are some examples:
The highest point of the back should be above the hip. If a rabbit peaks too early, they often have a chopped or pinched hindquarter. Chopped hindquarters drop off suddenly and feel flat and bony in the back rather than rounded and full. Rabbits with pinched hindquarters lack fullness in the thighs and the back feet angle out. The hind feet should be close to parallel and set well apart. Narrow feet set close together or that turn outward are more prone to get sore hocks.
Good depth (height from highest point of back to table) is very desirable and means a longer loin. Many people overpose their rabbits to give the illusion of more depth. If the back toes are in front of the knee joint, you can't see the real depth of the rabbit.
Here are some examples:
Excellent conformation.
Peaks right over hip. Nice depth & width. Round, full hindquarter. |
Long and low. No depth. Shoulders and loin are narrow and thin. Very little rise from shoulder.
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Chopped, pinched hindquarter. Top-line peaks too early. A little long in the shoulder.
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Long in the shoulder - note low flat part of shoulder before the rise in the back. Semi-arch body shape.
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Growth rate is also important if you want to raise meat rabbits economically. Good meat lines give you more meat in less time on less feed. Some show rabbits take forever to grow and eat a ton. Quality breeding stock quickly pays for itself in feed savings alone. Purchase stock from a breeder who keeps good records. If they can't tell you what their kits weigh at 8 weeks, look elsewhere. Here is a chart of ideal 'Meat Rabbit Growth Rates':
All rabbits have strong points and weaknesses. Purchase the best stock you can. When breeding, try to pair the weak traits of one rabbit with the strengths of the other. Keep the ideal in mind and only save offspring that are closer to your goals. Be sure to check potential breeders for malocclusion (bad teeth), split penis, wry tail, and good health before adding them to your breeding program. Always quarantine new rabbits for 30 days before adding them to your herd. Hill Rise Rabbitry has more info on selecting quality stock: Evaluating Adult Rabbits - posing and good body type Evaluating Rabbit Health - inspecting for good health |
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We sell high-quality Champagnes in excellent health. Visit our For Sale page for more info.
Brick House Acres Rabbitry - Frankfort, NY 13340 - (315) 338-4638