I rebred most of the does that missed yesterday, and they were all very up for it. I'll get the rest today. Their bucks were occupied.
It's fun to sit and watch them play. The boys just look so happy. Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed. They "smile". Oh yeah, the does are having fun, too. Sometimes quite vocally.
I changed up the pairs a bit. All the opal buck's does missed and his breeder tells me his sire was slow to produce. So I'm only giving him well-proven does and the young does are going to proven bucks. Need to get those younger gals producing.
Many sale pages state a buck's proven or not status. I only give the labels to does. I've never run across a case of true buck sterility and didn't think it was necessary. Still don't.
The subject of legs in pedigrees came up recently. A recent trend on sale pages is to count up ALL the legs in the pedigree and include in the rabbit's description. As if this makes the rabbit more attractive or valuable. Apparently some buyers fall for it. What they don't understand is that two rabbits with umpteen legs can produce mediocre offspring. Buyers of expensive rabbits with legs expect the same, but might not get what they paid for.
On the same note, many buyers assume a big name rabbitry or Grand Champions quarantees they will get the same. They study the pedigree like a legal document and base their decision on it. Again, not a guarantee. Top breeders sell their culls, and often as jrs that develop differently. An ugly jr might grow up to be a fine sr. Or a nice jr grows up to be disappointing.
Some buyers look for those G.C. rabbits in the pedigree. It's not that hard to put a GC on a rabbit. All it needs is 3 legs and to pass a registrar's inspection for DQ's. Some breeders will scout shows where they know they can beat the competition, and even stack classes to earn those 3 legs and GC. A mediocre rabbit can earn a GC quite easily. They then put a higher price on its head.
Myself, I don't grand anymore. It was a bit of a hassle. You have to take the bun and a copy of its pedigree to a show's registrar. You might have to wait in line for the registrar to get to you. I might not be showing that rabbit much anymore, or it might not be in condition to show. So that bunny is just along for the ride taking up carrier space.
Even when I did grand, it was often a bust. At first, I registered the rabbit and then sent off for the GC certificate when they got the 3rd leg. Some never earned that 3rd leg. So I waited to register when they did have 3 legs. A couple times, I registered/granded with more than 3 legs and then lost the rabbit before I got offspring from it. One GC doe with 7 legs decided to never breed again after her 1st dead litter. A GC is wasted if it doesn't appear on offspring's pedigrees.
Some breeders work towards a "Gold" or "Red, White & Blue" pedigree. These are peds with all registered or GC rabbits respectively. They get a special stamp and recognition from ARBA. This is nearly impossible to get for Netherlands. We rely on BUDs, overweight bucks, and sometimes DQ colors in our breeding programs. None of which can be registered and granded.
In the case of big name rabbitries, there's no guarantees either. Buying one expensive rabbit from a top breeder could be a big disappointment. These lines are often so tightly bred (line bred) that they won't mesh with other lines. It's usually best to get a pair or trio from the same breeder. If you already have the lines, it's best to stick with them for the best results. Otherwise, looking for those names in a pedigree is not the way to buy a rabbit. Some sellers brag up the lines in the background. Top names in the 3rd generation mean nothing. Although, you should pay attention to the colors in a pedigree to make sure it won't affect your lines negatively. Buy the rabbit, not the pedigree.
When I buy a rabbit, I usually don't see the ped until I've made my decision and handed over the cash. I don't even ask for it until then. I like to see legs like anyone else, but except for the immediate parents, it's not that big a deal. More than 3 legs means more to me than a GC. If it has 5+ legs, it's a damn good rabbit.
Update on the guineas. Still seeing only the two, but now I know it's one of the males that went MIA. That means something took it. Bummer. The hen is accounted for. It's hard to tell them apart until they sound off. If I was paying attention I'd have noticed the hen's wattles are much smaller, but the calls are the sure way to sex them.
They roost inside the fence at night and my dog keeps anything that could hurt them out. I don't know if a raccoon could or would take a guinea anyways. Coyotes and stray dogs could. Don't see that many strays back here but we do have coyotes. It's possible it was taken when it stayed out of the fence too late or left too early. I might have to buy a couple more guineas if I can't count on a hatch from the one hen. They are just too valuable for tick control.
Oh yeah, in other news. I think I'll be having some neighbors again. Guys have been fixing the fence in the field next door. That usually means horses. I like having horses for neighbors.
tnt
