Most farmers, especially those who have been breeding animals for a long time, tend to contribute to the development of their pets. There are several ways to improve existing breeds, as well as invent new ones, but this is a very difficult issue that requires additional knowledge in the field of genetics.
Basic Requirements for Mating Animals
For productive mating, rabbits must meet several important criteria:
- Age. Both partners must reach an optimal reproductive age, which is 5 months for females, and 7 months for males. Also, old individuals (older than 6 years) should not be allowed to mating, since such animals cannot produce healthy offspring.
- "The right individual." The pair should be of standard size for the breed, have no health problems, not be in the process of shedding, and also be ready to mate.
- Character. Animals must have a calm disposition. Also, lethargic or weakened individuals are not allowed to mating.
- It is advisable to update the tribal rabbits at least once a year for healthier and stronger offspring.
Important! With no special knowledge, you can only cross breeds of rabbits that have already proven themselves to be crossed.
Crossing methods
To date, there are several methods of crossing, from the correct choice of which will depend on the quality of the offspring. Each species has its own characteristics and disadvantages, which is important for every farmer to know.
Industrial
The most common and simple method that is used on small farms. It consists in crossing two different breeds to obtain hybrids for slaughter.
The resulting animals are characterized by unpretentiousness, rapid development and a strong physique. However, using this type of breeding is simply impossible to achieve the birth of purebred rabbits.
Get acquainted with the best representatives of decorative, down and fur rabbits.
Variable
Such type of crossing allows to achieve fine economic effect. For breeding using this method, the best female of the first generation and the best male of the parent breed are used.
Introductory
This method is used if there is a need to genetically "improve" the offspring. For this, the best male and the best female are selected from the progeny of the first breed, the resulting kids are also selected according to the same principle and are crossed with other “ideal” members of this breed exclusively.
Learn how to choose a rabbit when buying, as well as how to determine the sex of the rabbit.Thus, only a few out of a couple of dozen rabbits go for breeding, thanks to their special characteristics.
Absorbing
This method is used to improve the qualities of rocks. For him, females with the best indicators intersect with males of the best breed. Such a procedure is carried out, as a rule, up to 5-6 generations.
Did you know? Reproduction in the life of rabbits occupies a very important place. If man did not control this process, the number of lagomorphs would be equal to the number of square meters on planet Earth.
Factory
The most difficult method that requires additional knowledge of genetics. This type of breeding is used to breed new species. To do this, take 2 or more breeds, and alternately cross to achieve the desired result.
Important! This method is also used to acclimatize animals in different climatic conditions.
Chaotic
This species allows crossing individuals of several or one species, without paying attention to kinship. This option is possible only in the case of a monthly update of purebred individuals for breeding.
Crossing rabbits of different breeds: table
Table of species that give the best offspring when crossed:
Male | Female |
Black brown | California |
Californian | Black brown |
Soviet chinchilla | White giant |
Silver | Gray giant |
New Zealand | Viennese blue |
Viennese blue | Soviet chinchilla |
White giant | New Zealand |
So, genetics is a complex science, so the issue of breeding animals for new species must be handled by experts.
Did you know? Rabbits have a double uterus, which gives them the opportunity to simultaneously bear two litters that can be conceived at different times by different rabbits.Farmers, on the other hand, may unite some breeds, but solely on the basis of a simple rule: parents must be exclusively of the variety that is allowed to cross.