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Breeding basics, pedigrees, recognizing strategies
Rabbit Kindling Video
Watch a doe give birth to a litter of rabbits.
Comparing Breeding Strategies
Learn how breeders use the four types of breeding strategies to improve their herd:
Inbreeding
Linebreeding
Outcrossing
Crossbreeding
Pedigrees
How to fill out a pedigree. Why use computer software.
Recognizing breeding strategies by looking at the pedigree
Creating a Champion Herd with a Limited Number of Cages
What are your rabbitry's goals?
No matter if you only have a few cages or a large number of cages, you can have success showing rabbits. Learn from Bryan Shirk, ARBA Judge and 2x National Best of Breed winner with Tans and Champagne d'Argents, as he teaches the mindset of a smaller breeder.
Breeding Process
Process Timeline
1. Check both the doe and buck to make sure they are:
● Free from disease
● In good physical condition
● Overall healthy
2. Take the doe to the buck’s cage.
3. Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
4. Remove the doe from the cage.
5. Hold the doe on her back for a couple of minutes before returning her to her cage.
6. Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
7. Palpating - Day 14
8. Place the nesting box in the doe’s cage on Day 28.
9. Does will typically kindle on Day 30, although kindling may occur any time between Day 28 and 32 after conceiving.
10. Check the nesting box within 24 hours after birth.
11. Kits open their eyes around Day 10.
12. Kits start eating pelleted food around Day 24 - 30
13. Kits can be weaned when they begin eating on their own. Typically kits begin to eat at 30 days of age or 60 days after breeding, but some breeders wait to wean later.
14. Does can be rebred as early as 24 hours after kindling, but most breeders wait until 2, 4, or 6 weeks after kindling.
Breeding Process Timeline Described
#1 Pre-Inspection
#1 Pre-Inspection
#1 Pre-Inspection
Check both the doe and buck to make sure they are:
● Free from disease
● In good physical condition
● Overall healthy
Rabbits that have a disease or infection should not be used for breeding. Using these animals for breeding would increase the spread of disease or infection in the herd. One rabbit would potentially transmit it to the other and possibly to the offspring.
A rabbit showing poor physical condition should not be used for breeding. Does with poor physical condition will get worse because offspring will bring added stress. Poor physical condition may also be a trait passed on to the offspring as the mother will not have the ability to produce enough milk for the litter.
Signs a doe is ready to breed:
● She is restless and moving
around her cage more than usual.
Sometimes this can be accented by her flicking her tail.
● She raises her rump when touched.
● She rubs her chin on the cage, cage door, water crock, food dish, etc.
Doe Not in Heat
#1 Pre-Inspection
#1 Pre-Inspection
Doe is free from disease, but is not in heat. She is not ready to breed.
Doe in Heat
#1 Pre-Inspection
Is the buck ready to breed?
The doe is ready to breed. Notice the dark pinkish purple color of her vulva.
Is the buck ready to breed?
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
Is the buck ready to breed?
Healthy, free from disease.
#2 Take the doe to the buck's cage.
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
Buck falls off breeding the doe and conception begins about 8-10 hours later. Most breeders take doe to buck’s cage, but they could also table breed the rabbits.
Always take the doe to the buck’s cage. Does are more territorial than bucks when it comes to their cages. A doe may not respond well to another rabbit in her cage.
The best time to breed is when it is sunny outside. The intensity and length of sunlight contributes to higher conception rates. The longer, brighter daylight hours of spring result in a greater number of successful breedings than the shorter, dimmer daylight hours of winter.
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off.
Allow the buck to mount the doe. Wait for the buck to fall off. If the doe is receptive, she will lift her hindquarters and breeding will take place. The buck may fall to the side or backwards. Always watch the entire time the two rabbits are together. Sometimes there may be a problem that needs to be addressed right away, such as fighting. If fighting occurs, the doe should be removed immediately. The two may not be responsive to each other and the doe can be taken to a different buck. Plus, if you are watching, you will know when the buck falls off and breeding has occurred. Often breeding occurs in less than one minute.
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
Cage Breeding Method
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
There are a couple of ways to breed rabbits. Rabbits can be bred either by cage or table breeding. With either breeding method, have the buck there first, then bring the doe to him. There are not any noticeable advantages or disadvantages with cage or table breeding. Some rabbits prefer one method over the other one.
Table Breeding Method
#3 Wait for the buck to fall off.
#4 Remove the doe from the cage.
Natural Mating
Both pictures above are considered natural mating. The rabbits are breeding without any help.
Forced Mating
Forced mating occurs when a person holds the doe to allow the buck to mount for breeding purposes. This could be just holding the head or holding the head and the side of the doe. One could also place a hand under the doe and help her lift by slightly raising her stomach.
#4 Remove the doe from the cage.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
#4 Remove the doe from the cage.
Once breeding has occurred, the doe should be removed immediately.
#5 Hold doe on her back.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
Hold the doe on her back for a couple of minutes before returning her to her cage.
Holding the doe on her back increases the conception rate. A milky white discharge may be noticeable around the doe’s vulva.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
#6 Wait a few minutes. Repeat steps 2 - 5. This completes the breeding steps.
This will increase conception rates.
Conception occurs about 8-12 hours after breeding. Repeating the process could increase the conception rate. One buck can breed with multiple does on the same day. Rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning a doe releases her eggs to be fertilized after she breeds.
Palpating
Palpating
A doe will be pregnant for 28 to 32 days after breeding. In anticipation of kindling, one can palpate her to determine if she has conceived. Fourteen days after breeding is the best time to palpate a doe and determine if she is pregnant. After 14 days, the embryos are starting to develop and are now large enough to feel, but will not be easily damaged by gentle palpation.
To palpate a doe, get her out of her cage and put her on a table. Place the palm of one hand underneath her abdomen. Gently squeeze to feel for embryos. Remember to be careful so that you do not hurt the kits or the doe’s organs. The pictures above show palpating for kits.
Calendar
The calendar above shows an example of counting the gestation days. The brown lines are counting down 4 weeks, or 28 days, until a nesting box should be put in. The purple lines are counting two days for the expected kindling date. A rabbit’s gestation period, the time it takes a rabbit to give birth after breeding, is 28 – 32 days from the date she was bred.
Preparing a Nesting Box
Nesting Box
Orchard Grass
Nesting Box
A wooden, metal or plastic box
Straw
Orchard Grass
Nesting Box
Wheat straw is a common material used for rabbit nesting.
Orchard Grass
Orchard Grass
Orchard Grass
Some breeders use orchard grass.
Sawdust
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Orchard Grass
Some breeders use saw dust.
Fake fur
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Fake fur can be used to keep kits warm.
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Put Nesting Box in with Doe on Day 28.
Day 28 - Put Nesting Box In
The doe will begin pulling fur to make a nest.
Kindling
The doe has just had her litter. The doe keeps pulling fur to insulate the litter. A breeder should touch the babies soon after they are born to make sure that there are only living ones in the nesting box and to get rid of any blood, placenta, or dead kits.
A kit
A baby rabbit is called a kit.
Three baby rabbits born
This Holland Lop doe had a litter of two Sable Points and one Black.
The nest
Kits typically stay close to other kits to keep each other warm.
Day 10
When the kits are about 10 days old, their eyes begin opening.
Day 10
Day 20
Kits leave the nesting box and begin playing in the cage. They typically return to the nesting box to sleep
Mother
A doe will play with the kits and teach them what to do.
Play time
Kits play in the cage as they grow.
A kit
Kits begin eating about 30 days old. Some litters eat pellets before then and some after then.
Pedigrees
Understanding Pedigrees
Understanding Pedigress
A pedigree shows information about a specific rabbit. The pedigree also provides information about the rabbit’s parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. It provides information including: breed, variety and when the rabbit was born. The picture above shows an example of a pedigree. Below is a description of what each line means.
1. Ear#: Tattoo found in the rabbit’s left ear.
2. Sold To: If this rabbit has been sold to another person, the buyer’s name goes here.
3. Address: If this rabbit has been sold to another person, the buyer’s address goes here.
. Date Sold: Date when this rabbit was sold.
Note: The remainder of the information is filled in even if the rabbit is not sold.
. Breed: This is the breed of rabbit on this pedigree.
6. Variety: Variety/color of the rabbit on this pedigree.
7. Sex: Gender of the rabbit: buck or doe.
8. Date Born: Kindling/birth date of the rabbit.
9. Name: This is the name of the rabbit, including the prefix of the original breeder.
10. Registration #: If this rabbit has been registered with the American Rabbit Breeders Association, the number goes here.
11. Weight: This is the weight of the rabbit on the pedigree. A weight of 10.08 indicates that the rabbit weighs 10 pounds, 8 ounces.
12. Grand Champion #: If this rabbit has been registered with the American Rabbit Breeders Association and has received the 3 legs required to receive a grand champion certificate, the number would go here.
13. Winnings: If the rabbit has gone to any shows and has placed, put the winnings here.
14. Name: This is the signature of the original breeder.
15. Address: This is the address of the original breeder.
16. Sire: This is the name of the sire (father) of the rabbit on this pedigree.
17. Ear #: This is the ear # of the sire on the pedigree.
18. Color: This is the color or variety of the sire on the pedigree.
19. Reg. #: If the sire is registered with the A.R.B.A.; the registration number goes here.
20. Weight: This is the weight of the sire.
21. Dam: This is where the dam’s (mother) information goes.
22. Grand Sire: This is where the information of the grand sire or grandfather of the rabbit goes.
23. Grand Dam: This is where the information of the grand dam or grandmother of the rabbit goes.
24. G.G. Sire/Dam: This is where the information of the great grand sire/dam’s goes.