Linebreeding
Inbreeding is mating brother to sister
Line breeding is mating two animals with a common ancestor, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles or parents to offspring.
Outcrossing is when you bring in a completely unrelated animal.
*These are how I interpret the terms. It can vary depending on the breeder
All three of the above terms are important in a husbandry. Breeding related animals is how you build a tight family and improve your herd and line. Knowing your line or the lines you are working with is very important. If you are constantly bringing in outside rabbits, you can't get to know the lines well. Outcrossing is important if you have something in your herd you need to improve and it also helps keep your herds immune systems up to par. Constantly breeding related rabbits can weaken the immune system, so outside rabbits keep it healthy. Linebreeding will intensify or fix a trait, weather it be a good or bad trait. I personally do not breed full siblings together. By breeding full siblings it can really intensify dominant traits whether they are the good or the poor traits. This breeding can be done if you are prepared to cull heavily and are prepared to possibly only get one, if any, quality kit in the litter.
There is a breeding chart that you can view (link below). A copy can be found in ARBA’s Official Guidebook to Raising Better (which comes with your membership) or just Google searching. I personally do not followed this chart. I pick out two rabbits that best compliment each other and go from there. I work with certain lines so most of my rabbits are related, and if not by rabbit then by lines. I personally believe that by working closely with certain lines I get the best results. When you know your line, you know what works well together, and can know the outcome of a cross better than when outcrossing. When you line breed, you should find that there aren't as many 'pet quality' pop outs in litters. Now, this is only possible if you have good quality to start with, remember; pet quality produces pet quality.
Keep in mind that not all lines are compatible and will mix well. That is why I work with the same lines in my herd, because I know they work well together. Outcrossing is risky if the animal does not carry the same lines that are currently in your herd. It's a good thing, but also a bad thing because the cross can be either good or bad. Just because a pairing didn't work doesn't mean that those rabbits are poor producers, it just means that those lines didn't cross (yes, this is not always the case, some times it is just that the animal is a poor producer). Remember that outcrossing can be important, as it does help keep your lines competitive. Make sure to see what is in the rabbits pedigree before buying it, so you know what you’re bringing into your lines.
Another thing to think of, is to never buy a rabbit sight unseen. With so many rabbitry websites nowadays a lot of people are having rabbits shipped from all over. I have heard too many times of people paying X amount of money only to not get what they expected. If you do ship a rabbit ask other breeders who have gotten rabbits from this breeder before what do they think of their rabbits. Also
make sure the breeder sends you pictures showing all features of the rabbit first. You want to make sure this out cross fits in with what you want in your lines. Trust me on this one as I have had this happen to me. I pre-bought a rabbit at Mini Rex Nationals in 2013 and it was nothing like the picture or description and I paid a good amount of money for said animal. I've never been a big sight unseen person, but now I really am not. I have a small list of breeders that I trust and will buy sight unseen, knowing that they are honest about the animal. I also have a list of breeders that I won't buy from ever again. I will be completely honest about an animal and will send as many pictures as needed/wanted and answer any questions. I have been burned before, and don't want that happening to others.
I hope this article helped, even a little. Everyone has their own interpretation of line breeding but this is mine and my opinion on it. You may not agree with everything I said, and that's OK. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me.
Link to a breeding chart. http://www.nockrabbits.com/LineBreedingChart.html
Line breeding is mating two animals with a common ancestor, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles or parents to offspring.
Outcrossing is when you bring in a completely unrelated animal.
*These are how I interpret the terms. It can vary depending on the breeder
All three of the above terms are important in a husbandry. Breeding related animals is how you build a tight family and improve your herd and line. Knowing your line or the lines you are working with is very important. If you are constantly bringing in outside rabbits, you can't get to know the lines well. Outcrossing is important if you have something in your herd you need to improve and it also helps keep your herds immune systems up to par. Constantly breeding related rabbits can weaken the immune system, so outside rabbits keep it healthy. Linebreeding will intensify or fix a trait, weather it be a good or bad trait. I personally do not breed full siblings together. By breeding full siblings it can really intensify dominant traits whether they are the good or the poor traits. This breeding can be done if you are prepared to cull heavily and are prepared to possibly only get one, if any, quality kit in the litter.
There is a breeding chart that you can view (link below). A copy can be found in ARBA’s Official Guidebook to Raising Better (which comes with your membership) or just Google searching. I personally do not followed this chart. I pick out two rabbits that best compliment each other and go from there. I work with certain lines so most of my rabbits are related, and if not by rabbit then by lines. I personally believe that by working closely with certain lines I get the best results. When you know your line, you know what works well together, and can know the outcome of a cross better than when outcrossing. When you line breed, you should find that there aren't as many 'pet quality' pop outs in litters. Now, this is only possible if you have good quality to start with, remember; pet quality produces pet quality.
Keep in mind that not all lines are compatible and will mix well. That is why I work with the same lines in my herd, because I know they work well together. Outcrossing is risky if the animal does not carry the same lines that are currently in your herd. It's a good thing, but also a bad thing because the cross can be either good or bad. Just because a pairing didn't work doesn't mean that those rabbits are poor producers, it just means that those lines didn't cross (yes, this is not always the case, some times it is just that the animal is a poor producer). Remember that outcrossing can be important, as it does help keep your lines competitive. Make sure to see what is in the rabbits pedigree before buying it, so you know what you’re bringing into your lines.
Another thing to think of, is to never buy a rabbit sight unseen. With so many rabbitry websites nowadays a lot of people are having rabbits shipped from all over. I have heard too many times of people paying X amount of money only to not get what they expected. If you do ship a rabbit ask other breeders who have gotten rabbits from this breeder before what do they think of their rabbits. Also
make sure the breeder sends you pictures showing all features of the rabbit first. You want to make sure this out cross fits in with what you want in your lines. Trust me on this one as I have had this happen to me. I pre-bought a rabbit at Mini Rex Nationals in 2013 and it was nothing like the picture or description and I paid a good amount of money for said animal. I've never been a big sight unseen person, but now I really am not. I have a small list of breeders that I trust and will buy sight unseen, knowing that they are honest about the animal. I also have a list of breeders that I won't buy from ever again. I will be completely honest about an animal and will send as many pictures as needed/wanted and answer any questions. I have been burned before, and don't want that happening to others.
I hope this article helped, even a little. Everyone has their own interpretation of line breeding but this is mine and my opinion on it. You may not agree with everything I said, and that's OK. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me.
Link to a breeding chart. http://www.nockrabbits.com/LineBreedingChart.html
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