Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Maturation
I have several different rates of maturation in my barn. Learning which lines mature when has been a huge eye-opener for me. And it has helped me cull my herd more accurately. But it's also something I still struggle with (it's that darn "patience" thing again!)
One type of rabbit in my barn is a Roman Candle. This type matures early, around 3 1/2 to 4 months, and has a great run on the table as a junior. But as he or she turns senior, the body continues to lengthen and/or it continues to grow and before you know it, it's no longer worthy of the show table. Or maybe it doesn't sprout length, but it just continues to look like a junior always, never getting a mature look or having a competitive weight. Sure, you can grand a 2.12 buck or a 2.08 doe, but it's going to happen less often.
Another type of rabbit in my barn is the Late Bloomer. Yes, everyone told me to keep my rabbits longer before culling them. But when I first started out, I operated more out of the fear of getting stuck with a non-show quality rabbit that I couldn't pet out than out of the fear that I would pet out a show-quality rabbit.
Well, as luck would have it, I got a little behind in petting out a litter once. Time marched on before I got around to moving it out (except for one brother, if I recall correctly). I found a show quality rabbit just before I labeled the rest as pets (that one would be GC The Nature Trail's LaForge), but one by one, each member of the litter blossomed and it turned out that there were no pets in the litter of six (except the one I petted out too soon, of course).
Later, I had a very ugly litter out of the same sire. These are a variety of the Late Bloomers we should call the Ugly Ducklings. Early on, I decided these very ugly pre-juniors were very definitely pets. Even my husband commented on how there were no keepers in that litter. "Yes," I laughed, "you are so right." But within the span of a week, the heads popped on them and they turned into beautiful swans. I kept Boris from that litter. The fact that I had given him an ugly name is testimony to my belief that he was not a keeper. I also have his sister Natasha. I have heard back from the owners of Rocky and Bullwinkle, and they seem pleased with them, too.
I prefer Late Bloomers to Roman Candles, but the next category is my favorite. Unfortunately, I have precious few of them, but I intend to keep working until more of my barn is like this next category I'll call Pearls. You may have to open a lot of oysters to get a pearl, but you can tell as soon as you open it that you have something worthwhile.
I remember my first Pearl vividly. At three weeks old, I saw her pop out of her nest box, walk to the front, and pose perfectly with an air that said, "Look at me world; I have arrived." She never went through the uglies. She was ready to show at 3 1/2 months. In fact, she won her first BOS at that age. She continued to show well as she became a senior. No hitches, no guess work, no sprouting length, no weight problems up or down. She's GC The Nature Trail's May with a BIS and a 7th place BSD at Convention 2005 to her credit.
Although I hope for more Pearls as I continue to refine my line and consolidate my gene pool, I will also make Late Bloomers a huge part of my rabbitry. Debbie Vigue once wrote to me, "quick to grow, quick to pass, long to grow, long to last." I don't know if that's a well established saying in Holllands, but if it's not, it should be. I definitely want rabbits "long to last."
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 9:51 AM
One type of rabbit in my barn is a Roman Candle. This type matures early, around 3 1/2 to 4 months, and has a great run on the table as a junior. But as he or she turns senior, the body continues to lengthen and/or it continues to grow and before you know it, it's no longer worthy of the show table. Or maybe it doesn't sprout length, but it just continues to look like a junior always, never getting a mature look or having a competitive weight. Sure, you can grand a 2.12 buck or a 2.08 doe, but it's going to happen less often.
Another type of rabbit in my barn is the Late Bloomer. Yes, everyone told me to keep my rabbits longer before culling them. But when I first started out, I operated more out of the fear of getting stuck with a non-show quality rabbit that I couldn't pet out than out of the fear that I would pet out a show-quality rabbit.
Well, as luck would have it, I got a little behind in petting out a litter once. Time marched on before I got around to moving it out (except for one brother, if I recall correctly). I found a show quality rabbit just before I labeled the rest as pets (that one would be GC The Nature Trail's LaForge), but one by one, each member of the litter blossomed and it turned out that there were no pets in the litter of six (except the one I petted out too soon, of course).
Later, I had a very ugly litter out of the same sire. These are a variety of the Late Bloomers we should call the Ugly Ducklings. Early on, I decided these very ugly pre-juniors were very definitely pets. Even my husband commented on how there were no keepers in that litter. "Yes," I laughed, "you are so right." But within the span of a week, the heads popped on them and they turned into beautiful swans. I kept Boris from that litter. The fact that I had given him an ugly name is testimony to my belief that he was not a keeper. I also have his sister Natasha. I have heard back from the owners of Rocky and Bullwinkle, and they seem pleased with them, too.
I prefer Late Bloomers to Roman Candles, but the next category is my favorite. Unfortunately, I have precious few of them, but I intend to keep working until more of my barn is like this next category I'll call Pearls. You may have to open a lot of oysters to get a pearl, but you can tell as soon as you open it that you have something worthwhile.
I remember my first Pearl vividly. At three weeks old, I saw her pop out of her nest box, walk to the front, and pose perfectly with an air that said, "Look at me world; I have arrived." She never went through the uglies. She was ready to show at 3 1/2 months. In fact, she won her first BOS at that age. She continued to show well as she became a senior. No hitches, no guess work, no sprouting length, no weight problems up or down. She's GC The Nature Trail's May with a BIS and a 7th place BSD at Convention 2005 to her credit.
Although I hope for more Pearls as I continue to refine my line and consolidate my gene pool, I will also make Late Bloomers a huge part of my rabbitry. Debbie Vigue once wrote to me, "quick to grow, quick to pass, long to grow, long to last." I don't know if that's a well established saying in Holllands, but if it's not, it should be. I definitely want rabbits "long to last."
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 9:51 AM
