The Nature Trail Rabbitry BLOG
Friday, March 30, 2007
  Linebreeding Rio
As you know, I am a proponent of linebreeding. I've talked before about how I first look at a parent, then a sibling, then other family members, and finally to outcrosses when I'm searching for an appropriate breeding partner.

Of course, this takes some time. Let's take the example of Rio. I was sure that I wanted more just like him a couple of years ago at just about this time of the year. But he had to turn senior and then begin his career as a breeder. Well, as it happened, I was already in the middle of some other projects, so he really didn't get bred much right away.

Then, when it came his turn to get the girls, it took a while to find a good match. I had few family members and I had already sold his mom, so I was looking for a lucky outcross. Then I hit gold - he crossed well with my favorite doe May. May and Rio are both Best In Show rabbits that placed at Convention (Rio with a class win, May placed at two different conventiosn). How lucky is that!

The product was Padme. But she had to grow up, finish her career on the table and then graduate to the breeding program (the deluxe version in my barn, of grand champions).

Well, she missed her first time and then I bred her to Lord the second time because Rio refused to cooperate (apparently he thought his limit was one doe per day for awhile).

But finally - finally - after all of this time, I got a litter from Padme and Rio. And was it worth the wait! I know their kits are just a few weeks old, but wow oh wow, do I like what I see!

There is one fuzzy in the litter, but it appears to have very good wool texture. You may see that one hit the fuzzy tables. It's gorgeous, but the broken in the litter has captured heart! It has the hugest head I've ever seen on a non-fuzzy. You will be absolutely amazed.

And why not? This kit has a double dose of Rio. He has huge bone already. He is really going to be something. It's been a long time since I posted pictures of kits or pre-juniors, but you just have to see this one to believe it.

Click on the link below, then email me and let me know what you think. Unless something bad happens to this boy before he's old enough to show, I am absolutely sure he will tear up the tables when he gets there!

Rio's son.

Laurie
  10:39 AM 0 comments links to this post
  Looking Forward
I think that it has been about ten months since Linda and I decided to show this particular weekend. I may be wrong about the exact length of time, but we have been planning this for a long, long time. And I have been enjoying looking forward to it.

One of the reasons we've been looking forward to it is because a number of people invited us to go to this show. There's a feeling that people want us to come and are looking forward to our visit to their area.

Although I love my local bunny friends, I especially look forward to seeing some folks I don't get to see on a regular basis. And I'm sure I'll meet some new people, too. That's usually a great thing, except the part where I am so bad about remembering names (if I forget your name, just remember what my daughter says, "Mom, why do you call us by the dogs' names?)

It's going to be one of those hectic road trips. We'll drive from here to Kentucky tonight, show our Hollands four times tomorrow, and then drive on to Ohio the next day and show them three more times. We'll attempt to make it back to my house on Sunday night, but we always play things by ear. We find that it takes the pressure off to know that we are there for the duration and we'll make our plans once we find out when the show actually ends.

After that crazy weekend where we drove 24 hours to take in two states, this will seem like a piece of cake, I'm sure. I think our drive is more like half that this time. We'll just be showing more. I admit, the sheer craziness of taking in 7 shows in two states on one weekend is part of the fun of it all. It's good to get a little crazy from time to time.

In our world of instant gratification, I sometimes think we've lost the pleasure of looking forward to future events. When we have the chance to look forward to something, we should hold on to that and enjoy it for all its worth. Sometimes looking forward is half the fun.

Laurie
  8:59 AM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, March 29, 2007
  What's In Your Feed?
I'm in the process of researching a new feed for my barn. I just don't feel that I have the condition that I once did - on these same rabbits.

To say that feed issues are mind-boggling is an understatement. And forget about asking people about how they like their feed. You will find people who LOVE and HATE each feed with a passion. The one exception is that if you find a feed everyone loves, it won't be available in your area!

The horror stories are so vivid that it makes one afraid to feed anything, but, of course, not feeding is not an option. And if you read the advertisements for feed, they all sound so wonderful.

So, I have to go back to my own philosophy on feed (or develop a philosophy if I don't have one). Then I'll have to try it, evaluate the outcome, and make up my own mind.

My feed philosophy includes a stand on freshness. I'm not interested in the acceptable shelf life of a feed. I'm interested in whether I will be able to get a consistent supply of very fresh feed. Up to two months is ideal to me; up to three months is acceptable. After that, I'm not interested.

I've fed an extruded feed for the last couple of years. I had heard glowing reports (from the manufacturer, of course) of the studies on extruded feed. The rabbits were able to use the nutrients more effectively, I'm told. But more recently, it was brought to my attention that rabbits should eat a raw diet (makes sense) and extruded feed is cooked and then refortified. I'm unsure of the facts now, but I have to say that I'm leaning toward the raw diet (pellet) idea more.

So I want fresh feed and I want it in pellets - small ones. But what about the ingredients. Sure, I recognize some of the ingredients. But what the heck is the rest of that stuff? And how do I feel about it?

(Remember, I'm not a rabbit nutritionist, just giving my opinion as a breeder.)

Here are some common ingredients, my understanding of what they are, and my philosophy on each:

  1. Alfalfa/Alfalfa Meal - either alfalfa or Timothy hay should be the first ingredient - meets the high fiber/low carbohydrate needs of rabbits - great ingredient
  2. Oats/Pulverized Oats - oats are a low-glycemic source of carbohydrates - remember that if you add oats to a pellet already high in oats, you may push your rabbits over their carb limit - good ingredient
  3. Wheat Germ/Wheat Germ Meal - Another source of fiber and carbohydrates in a low-glycemic form, also a source of fat - great ingredient
  4. Ground Barley - similar to oats
  5. Wheat Midlings - what the heck? I know what wheat is, but what are midlings? Another name for wheat midlings is farina or midds. According to Dr. Getty, horse nutritionist, wheat midlings are considered low starch. One article I read called wheat midlings "what was left over once you took out everything nutritious" and "floor sweepings." Wheat midlings are palatable and contain 16.5% protein. Wheat midlings serve a role in keeping the pellet together - unsure about this one - if it's in there, I don't want it too high on the ingredient list.
  6. Soybean Meal - a source of protein and fat - good ingredient
  7. Hydrolyzed Milo - milo is a grain resembling millet - still trying to figure out why it is hydrolyzed - to make it more digestible maybe? undecided
  8. Distillers Dried Grains and Soluables - the Distillers Grain Council lists these advantages for distillers grains: Starch Removed , Fermentation Process, High Fiber, Dried Yeast Cell Content, All Natural Process, FDA Food Grade, Highly Digestible Protein (85%), Concentrated Grain Nutrients, Bypass Protein, Essential Minerals - sounds good to me
  9. Linseed Meal - linseed meal is what is left once the linseed oil is extracted - it is a source of protein - also adds to the palatability (makes it taste good) - excellent ingredient
  10. Sodium Chloride - salt - excellent ingredient in the right proportion, should be listed down with the small stuff like vitamins
  11. Dried Streptococcus Faecium Fermentation Product - this sounds awful and dangerous - who wants strep? well, apparently, we do. This ingredient is often found in rehydration, electrolyte, and probiotic preparations, including Benebac Gel. Excellent ingredient
  12. Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product - supports gut function - excellent ingredient
  13. Yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) - stimulates beneficials in the hindgut, improves phosphorus digestibility - excellent ingredient
  14. Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract/Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract - both of these provide GI tract support - excellent ingredients
  15. Artificial flavors - I'm dubious about anything "artificial" - this better be the last ingredient if it's there at all (I'm okay with natural flavors)
  16. Yucca Schidigera Extract - reduces ammonia production - extra great ingredient
  17. Animal Fat - rabbits are vegetarians, folks - this one makes no sense to me
  18. Corn Syrup Solids - I shun this ingredient in my own food - I personally think it is a too high glycemic for Hollands, don't know about other breeds, though - poor ingredient
  19. Papaya Fruit Powder - I think I'd be okay with this one, but I'd have to be convinced that the enzymes were still active after the powdering process - undecided
  20. Casein - milk protein (curds) - I'm of the opinion that most adult animals do not tolerate milk products very well - I'd wonder about allergic reactions - undecided
  21. Dried whey - you've seen whey - the watery stuff in your cottage cheese - again, I wonder about milk allergies - whey is a source of protein, containing about 1/3 more than corn - whey also retains most of the milk sugar - undecided, but leaning against since I don't want much simple carbohydrate in my rabbits' diet
  22. Protease - digestive enzyme needed to digest protein - sounds fine
  23. Cellulase - an enzyme that breaks down cellulose (plant cell walls) into glucose - supports GI activity - sounds good to me
  24. Betaglucanase - a blend of three enzymes that work to break down plant fibers - a digestive enzyme - again, it sounds like a good thing
  25. Lactase - helps the digestion of milk - sounds like something that would be useful for young rabbits still nursing
  26. Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide - source of iodine - okay
  27. Cane Molasses/Molasses Products - 50% sugar content, adds to the palatability of the feed, adds minerals - aids in keeping the pellets together which I suppose may reduce fines - I do not like molasses in my feed - must be one of the smaller ingredients, not in the top 5, but I'd prefer none - questionable ingredient
  28. Sunflower Seeds - source of oil - aids in conditioning - good ingredient
  29. Corn - high glycemic grain - I think corn stresses a rabbit's system and can lead to obesity - poor ingredient
  30. vegetable oil - check the percentage of fat to make sure that it's in line with your feeding philosophy, if so, then this ingredient is okay
  31. Dl-methionine - an essential amino acid - precursor to SAMe - isn't that a mood elevator? Maybe some of those high strung rabbits aren't getting enough of this - undecided
  32. Oat hulls, rice hulls - these are added to add fiber only and not nutrition per se - just check the fiber range of the feed to make sure it is in line with your feeding philosophy - okay

I didn't list the multitude of vitamin supplements, but I would like to note that if you are giving a supplement on top of a supplemented feed, you are doubling your rabbits' vitamins already, so be aware of what's in which product.

Well, I hope you learned at least one thing from this list. I know I learned a lot more than one thing by making it. Next time I read an ingredient list on a bag of feeds, I think I'll be able to read it with more understanding.

Now, if I can just find one I like in my area . . .

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design

  10:42 AM 1 comments links to this post
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
  Hold On With Your Sense Of Humor
So, you've made good breeding decisions, made it through the newborn stage, didn't jump the gun when your bunnies went through the uglies, culled hard, conditioned a very promising junior, planned for a show, packed, drove six hours just to hear the judge's comment: "The tips of the ears are a bit pointy." Now you have two choices: blow your top or laugh. I submit that laughing is the better alternative.

When I first started showing rabbits, each show seemed monumental and important. I didn't have a context for interpreting what I heard on the table. I believed every judge. I took everything seriously. Dozens and dozens of shows later, I realize that in the grand scheme of things, no one show or even one weekend is all that important.

Back in college, lo these many moons ago, I made a C in Social Psychology the semester that I met Andrew. (Somehow, something else seemed to always be on my mind!) I was mortified. Psychology was my major and I just wasn't the kind of student that made C's. So I took the course over again to raise my grade to an A. When my advisor heard what I had done, she scoffed and asked me how many people during my lifetime would ever ask me what I made in Social Psychology in college. She helped me put that one course into perspective. I suspect she'd have the same philosophy about a rabbit show.

There are times when I feel that a judge doesn't have a handle on Hollands. After all, there are a lot of breeds and it is unrealistic to expect every judge to be equally skilled in all of them. When that happens, I tell myself to just go through the motions. Who knows, he or she may accidentally give the class to one of my rabbits that doesn't really deserve it! If I took it too seriously, then I would be tied up in knots every time the judge failed to pose the rabbit, put too much emphasis on condition over conformation, or picked the big brood bunnies over a much more ideal Holland.

I can't claim that I always manage to keep my sense of humor at a rabbit show. There are times when I expect a lot of judges, either because of past experience or because their reputations precedes them. Sometimes I just get my hopes up too high for a certain rabbit. I often put a lot of pressure on myself to get does granded quickly so I can put them to work with their credentials under their belts.

I admit, I almost always get annoyed if one of my best rabbits gets placed at the bottom of a class; that's just too far wrong to be funny. I just can't see rabbits that place at national-level shows should be the first off of the table. That's something I need to work on. Perhaps now that I've taken the time to think about humor, I'll be able to use it more often to get through those rough times at the show table.

Maybe if you see me at a show getting too uptight, you could come over and ask me what grade I made in Social Psychology!

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  9:37 AM 0 comments links to this post
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
  Volunteer Abuse
I wonder how many people have thought about how many hours I've spent writing BLOGs and creating my two rabbit websites? How many people, do you suppose, have used something from one of those articles - for free? There have been 760,315 visits to my The Nature Trail website thus far. There have been 612,014 hits on Precious Pet Rabbits in less than two years. Given that this is bunny season, I'm getting nearly a phone call per day in addition to the normal emails from new pet owners who have a sick or dying rabbit on their hands.

True, I do get money from the Google Ads on my sites. After paying for my website expenses, I make about $75 per month from that. That's the same thing I could be paid for just 2 hours of technical writing. I spend about an hour (sometimes more) on each BLOG post.

This past week, I read an email late one night from the sister of someone with a new rabbit - that had babies a week after she got her. She wanted to know if I had any tips on raising rabbits. She didn't know how many babies there were.

I admit, these kinds of emails really annoy me. I've written a 200-page website for those who raise rabbits and a huge website for pets. I've written over 400 BLOGS on rabbits. And yet she expects me to just write up for her all of the tips I know? I wrote back and referred her to the breeding section, which I noted included newborn care. I also said that she could take out the babies, count them, remove dead ones, and put them back.

She wrote back and told me that I had been no help and that I didn't need to be "snoddy." I wrote back and told her that I in no way had intended to be snoddy and explained that many people thought that you cannot handle newborn rabbits. Then she wrote back - her third time - and told me that she had told me "numerous times" that they were her sister's rabbits and not hers. Huh?

Should I have to point out to her that if she is unsatisfied with my free help and information that she is free to go elsewhere for it?

Maybe you've picked up on how annoyed I am with the attitude of this woman. I'm a volunteer. I do this because I love bunnies and I want to help other people. And I try to do a good job for those reasons.

This little situation has made me think about all of the volunteers needed to make our hobby successful. There are very, very few paid positions within our hobby. And the majority of paid positions receive only token amounts of money or benefits. I think you can count on one hand the number of people who can earn a living on what they make doing work for our hobby.

There's definitely a balance that needs to be maintained. People who accept positions and duties certainly ought to try to do a good job. Otherwise, it's probably best for them to step aside and allow someone else to do it.

I think there's often a fear that no one else will take the job. If that's the case, then it's time for the people who want the job to be done to either split up the job, re-design the job, update the methods and equipment, or offer enough compensation so that the job becomes more desirable.

So how do we make sure things go smoothly when volunteers are doing the work?
  1. Make sure we are doing our part - we make volunteers' jobs easier when we follow the rules and try to do for ourselves whichever parts we can
  2. Remember that the volunteer is working instead of just enjoying the show with his or her friends or spending their time on leisure
  3. Take into consideration that each volunteer's life responsibilities are different from everyone else's - spouses, children, jobs, other hobbies, church, community, grandchildren, crises, and much more take time away from "bunny time"
  4. Appreciate what the volunteer does right, find out what you can do to help the volunteer, and don't make a big deal over things that are small enough that you can let go.

So what is "volunteer abuse"? I think that being sarcastic and demanding are inappropriate. Threats are also inappropriate. Expecting volunteers to act on your timetable and at the pace that makes sense to you is abuse.

I had a woman at a show get really miffed with me because I wasn't registering rabbits quickly enough. There was a huge line. I had to leave the table a few times to make sure my rabbit got to the Best In Show table. I was lucky because my friends were looking after my rabbits for me, but it was still my responsibility.

I wondered if she ever thought about the fact that I spent half my day registering rabbits. I didn't get to visit with my friends. I didn't get to hear the comments on my rabbits. I didn't get to see my rabbit get a BRIS. I was exhausted at the end of the day. And I was one of the very last people to leave the showroom. And for that, I get $2 per rabbit, minus my postage and expenses (like ink, license, scale, Standard, etc.)

So what do we do when a volunteer (or someone in a nominally paid position) doesn't do a good job? The first question should be, "What help do you need?" This assumes, of course, that the volunteer was very clear about the expectations of the position in the first place. If the volunteer knows what is expected of him or her, and doesn't need help or accept help, then what do you do? I would evaluate the job. Are the expectations too high?

If the job is reasonable, the expectations are clear, and the volunteer will not accept help, then perhaps it is time to explore getting a different volunteer. But even firing a volunteer should be done in a courteous and diplomatic manner. There's never a time when taking a volunteer for granted - or even stooping to volunteer abuse - is warranted.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design

  11:32 AM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, March 26, 2007
  Switcharoo
You might already know that my favorite doe is May. She placed at two different Conventions, granded easily, has a Best In Show under her belt, has produced several grand champions, and has a great personality. What you might not know is that she produces so much milk that it is almost problematic.

Or I should say that it would be problematic if I didn't manage the nest boxes carefully.

May's last kits were born on March 20. She had 7 non-peanuts. I needed to take a few away to give to a dam who delivered just one kit. That left May with four kits to raise herself. I had hoped to foster the rest of the kits so that she'd be free, but no other doe that I trusted had room.

Three days ago, I noticed that her kits were uncomfortably fat - they couldn't roll over. And, I noticed that Roxie's were a little skinnier than I like. So I gave May's to Roxie and vice versa. I wrote myself a note and switched the labels on the cages so I could keep up with the switch.

I just switched babies and let each dam keep her own nest box. It didn't seem to bother either one.

Two days later, Roxie's babies were nice and fat. May's babies were still well fed. And I think that Roxie benefitted from the strong-nursing kits, too. I switched them back for a day.

But 24 hours later, May's kits were once again alarmingly fat. I found two in the front of the nest box on their backs, stuck in pockets of hay.

So, I checked out Markie's babies. They were being fed, but were far from fat. They went into May's box and May's kits made another change. By tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest, Markie's will be fat and I'll have to do another switcharoo.

Now it may sound like I'm complaining because I have to keep such an eye on things. But I'm not. Having a milking overachiever gives me options and helps me keep all of my kits robust. It's hard enough to get kits here sometimes; I hate to lose them because of poor nursing, especially when it's just a slow start for some bunny moms.

May's sister HIlary is a good milking doe just like May, so I hope that the characteristic runs in the family. So far, daughters Padme, Panache, and April have done well with their babies. I haven't had to do the switcharoo with them yet, but you never know what the future will bring.

Laurie
  9:11 PM 1 comments links to this post
Friday, March 23, 2007
  That's Deep!
My three most successful rabbits share one very important quality: they're deep. No, I don't mean that they are philosophers who see the real meaning of life (though they may), I mean that they have good depth at the shoulder carried back over the hips.

Proper depth that is carried back over the hindquarter appropriately sets up a beautiful top line for a Holland Lop, or any rabbit, for that matter. But it is possible to have a pretty top line and not have depth. How is that? Well, depth refers to mass while a top line, or any line, is just a demarcation without substance. Some rabbits show a nice topline, but they are tucked up or hollow underneath - there's no depth.

It is possible to have a shoulder that is not low, but is still not deep. It's really easy to tell whether you've got depth at the shoulders. Just put your hands around the rabbit like you were going to eat a hamburger. You may have heard me say this before - you don't want to feel like you are eating a junior hamburger. You want a Quarter Pounder at least, and hopefully a Big Mac. Unfortunately, you can have a junior-hamburger chest and shoulder combination that's perched on long front limbs. It may support a nice top line, but it doesn't meet the Standards criteria for "shoulders should be deep."

For depth over the midsection and hindquarter, be on the alert for a tucked-up tummy. Britannia Petites, Tans, and Checkered Giants are supposed to be tucked up; Hollands aren't.

I think that depth carried out to the hindquarter "of equally or slightly greater depth [than the shoulders]" is often the difference between a nice rabbit and a great rabbit. Depth that fails to be carried out will result either in sloping off, flatness over the hip, or a chopped hindquarter (a sharp turn, especially one that occurs too soon).

Depth is really a harder concept to grasp for new Holland breeders. I still grapple with it myself sometimes. It's so much easier to evaluate bone, ears, head mass, and condition. But understanding depth of body and requiring the rabbits that stay in your barn to have depth of body can make all of the difference to your herd.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  2:14 PM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, March 22, 2007
  The Great Buck Sale of 2007
You may have noticed that I just posted 9 bucks for sale, including 5 grand champions. It was tough to let some of them go, but I feel that it's time to push ahead.

What really concerned me more was what I was keeping. The question was, once I sell these rabbits, will I have what I need in my barn to continue with my breeding program.

Now I'm not going to tell you that I don't love individual rabbits, because I do. If you know me personally, then you also know that I love May. I love Merlin. I love Rio. I love Padme. I love Java.

But my overall breeding program is always my main focus. I try to keep my eye on the future and what I'm trying to accomplish. Aside from love (after all, this is a hobby), the number 1 reason to keep a rabbit is because you believe it will take your breeding program forward.

So which did I keep?
  1. Java
  2. Lord
  3. MLK
  4. Demetrius
  5. Mistofelees
  6. Quincy
  7. Prince William
  8. Rio
  9. Merlin
  10. Myrddin
  11. Zeppo

I actually had planned to sell ten and keep ten (how in the world did I ever end up with 20 bucks?!?!?), but the line fell at 11 and 9.

Now let's look at the reasons I kept each:

  1. GC Java - depth, body, head, specimen to try to reproduce, Boris' son, Leo's brother
  2. GC Lord - good all around, no glaring faults, out of May
  3. GC MLK - black, short ear, short body, out of Merlin
  4. Demetrius, 2 legs - developing buck that I want to keep longer to see how he turns out, nice depth, good head & crown, out of Leo
  5. Mistofelees, 2 legs - developing buck, beautiful crown placement, good all around buck, out of Franz & Jo-Jo, Quinten's brother
  6. GC Quincy - short ear, double Merlin grandson, short body, nice balance
  7. Prince William, 3 legs - Imagination's brother, has the fuller body, but the head was not as strong, want to grand and breed him before letting him go, May son
  8. GC Rio - a specimen worth trying to reproduce
  9. GC Merlin - best producer, source of short ears, short bone
  10. Myrddin, 2 legs - best crown placement and definition
  11. Zeppo, 1 leg - one of the nicest bucks in the barn, just tiny (though heavy-boned for his size), want to give him the time to totally develop before making a decision on him, Boris son

So when I start going crazy because I decided to let Wizard go instead of Lord, MLK, Quincy, and Prince William (all Merlin descendents), I'll have to look back at this list and remember that I'm covered.

The one last thing I want to look at is their birthdates. I don't want time to creep up on me and I find that my buck herd has all gotten old at the same time:

  1. Java - 10-2005
  2. Lord - 11-2005
  3. MLK - 1-2006
  4. Demetrius - 5-2006
  5. Mistofelees - 5-2006
  6. Quincy - 12-2005
  7. Prince William - 3-2006
  8. Rio - 11-2004
  9. Merlin - 3-2003
  10. Myrddin - 12-2005
  11. Zeppo - 5-2006

Merlin is definitely the old man of the crowd, having just celebrated his fourth birthday. Since he's living out his life here, that's not an issue, though. Rio is next at nearly 2 1/2. The rest are between less than a year, and a year and a half old. So for now, my buck herd is young and I am continuing to add to it, not just resting solely on the old man.

I noticed that Boris and Leo were among those bucks that I bred this go around. I think you might see some of these sale bucks being bred one last time this week - just to be sure!

So, I think I've thought this through thoroughly. I think I'm making the right decision. I think I'm ready to let some of these guys go. But don't be surprised if you see a tear or two when I have to hand them over!

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design

  8:11 AM 0 comments links to this post
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
  Baby Busy
I had such a great day yesterday, first with home school (finally able to read out loud a little bit), then with babies being born in the barn, followed by family night, and ending with Boston Legal, one of my favorite shows. It was after midnight when I realized that I hadn't posted a BLOG. When was the last time that happened?

I'm having one of my best baby months ever. After all of the poor results of last year, it is so wonderful to have great conception rates and good-sized litters. The weather is mild. And I'm watching them like a hawk.

So far, this is what I've gotten:

Four more does are due today and four more are due tomorrow. I'm so excited!

Later this week, I'll begin breeding for Convention. So far, I have 13 does lined up for those breedings. If I have any does to miss or have dead litters, I'll add them to the list as well. I'd sure love to have a doe that I trust take over May's litter. She's in good enough shape to breed again, but probably won't be after she nurses seven!

You have my permission to remind me later how happy I am right now with all of these babies. In about two months when I'm scrambling for cage space, I might not be quite as thrilled. But for right now, I'm basking in the sunlight of possibilities. And I'm hoping that there will be one very special rabbit among these newborn.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design

  10:50 AM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, March 19, 2007
  In Praise Of Tort
When I started in Hollands, I started with colors. Sure, the buck was a tort, but he carried the sable gene and dilute, so he was a color producer. My first doe was a broken seal marten and my second doe was a sable point marten. So I got otters and sable points and, well, you name it.

I loved those colors and loved seeing what each litter produced. I didn't know how to identify the colors, so I drove Mary Justice crazy until I got the hang of it. To this day, she is keenly aware of my being like a dog with a bone when I become interested in something.

And I thought the idea of having just torts would be boring. Breed two torts, get all torts, ho hum.

I could not have been more wrong! Now most of my litters are torts. I get the occasional sable point or REW, but I expect - and get - all torts most of the time. And there's nothing boring about it.

So what changed? Me, of course. Once I began to see and understand what a really good Holland lop is like, I started to see all of my Hollands much differently. It's like studying a painting or an opera before you observe it in person. You can appreciate it so much more.

Or perhaps it's more like me and baseball. For years, I thought there could be nothing more boring on earth. Then, the Braves went from worst to first while I was living in Atlanta. I began to learn about the game and appreciate all of its intricacies. Just like those torts, baseball wasn't boring at all!

So now, I look right past the color most times and see the bone, crown, top line, and much more. There's plenty to get excited about. And when I look at the color, I see all of the variation that tort has: dark Madagascar to light orangey.

I love the dark tort in either solid or broken. But I also love brokens in the very lightest tort.

We all know that tort is the best developed variety of Holland. But did you know that all four varieties of tort are showable in Hollands? Well, if you read my BLOG post from yesterday, you may have had a hint. Tort is actually short for black tortoiseshell (it doesn't mean that the tort is darker than average). Blue tortoiseshell (blue tort) is fairly common while lilac tort and chocolate tort are very rare.

Tort is also an all-purpose color when it comes to breeding. There are some varieties that cause more trouble that they are worth if you breed them together. For example, I would not breed a sable (or sable point, blue point, or smoke pearl) with a chinchilla. You'll probably be okay for the first generation, but you'll be plagued with non-showable colors in the second generation.

But tort causes far fewer problems. You can safely breed tort with any self (black, blue, the torts, the sable varieties). And you won't have many problems breeding tort to any otter or marten variety. You might get a tort/orange otter, but that's about it in terms of non-showable colors. You can breed it with agoutis. You might produce a self-chin or something like that, but you can also be on your way to oranges, fawns, and ermines (frosty or frostpoint).

By the way, if you are using torts to improve the type on your sable points, try to use the lightest torts with the cleanest orange color, not the Madagascars. Those rufus modifiers that make a Madagascar so beautiful will smut up your sable points.

Torts don't seem to be prone to toenail DQs like many dilutes are. Broken torts, especially, hold up well under a less than perfect coat. They can hide the early stages of a molt pretty well.

So now I love torts. I'm not saying that I'll never have a color project. I plan to one day when I get my torts closer to how I like them. And some of my torts hide some color secrets, so I occasionally get to enjoy a color surprise. When the time comes, I may have a lot of what I need already in my barn!

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
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Sunday, March 18, 2007
  NC State Convention
I am so proud of Java! He had the best weekend of any of my rabbits so far. Last September, Rio had a show in which he was Best Reserve in one show and Best In Show for two shows. I figured that would remain the barn record forever. But Java said, "I'll see your 1 BRIS and 2 BIS and raise you a BOB!!!"

That's right. Java was BOB for all four shows this weekend, plus won a BRIS and two BISs. He was getting a little squirrelly at the very end - essentially having been judged eight times this weekend - but held together long enough to show his stuff.

That, of course, was enough to make my weekend (or week, or maybe even month!), but the show was wonderful in other ways, too.

I was also very pleased that Crazy Horse, a broken junior buck out of Camelot's Merlin and Roxie got his first leg with a BOSG, and Rizzo, a lilac tort junior doe, got her first leg with a BOSG.

The group of exhibitors at the show was so nice and the atmosphere was comfortable (even the youth parents noticed that the group of Holland exhibitors this weekend was having a really good time). The word "camraderie" kept coming back to my mind over and over.

We had wonderful conversations, congratulated each other heartily, and laughed and joked all weekend long. It was the very best of what a rabbit show can be.

Congratulations to Alison Fulbright who granded her first homegrown Holland. Way to go Trixie! And a huge congratulations to Mary Justice who got two very nice legs on a smoke pearl Holland lop. "F" gets an A!!! And congratulations to everyone who got "first in reverse" (AKA last place) and kept their sense of humor about it.

I got a chance to work with Josh Humphries on a group of 80 Dutch. I learned a lot and started to "see" the breed a bit, making some choices with confidence (and others a bit more shakily). I also got to work with Rusty Westhoff on mini lops. Both Josh and Rusty were gracious with their time and effort once again. I really appreciate it. Both are pushing me to think about the rabbits and be more active as I work with the animals. It is uncomfortable to say out loud what you think, but pushing past my discomfort is going to be very important if I am to succeed.

I also got an award this weekend for placing #1 in the NCRBA sweepstakes. It was a very attractive desk award with pen.

Because the show is only 75 minutes from my house, I came home to sleep in my own bed. And oversleep in my own bed. The alarm did not go off and we woke up two hours later than we expected! We zipped around and scooted out of the house as soon as possible (me, Anna, and her bunny friend Mindy who had spent the night). I made some good time and we still arrived a couple of minutes before the judging started. Whew!

After the show today, several moms and their kids went out to McDonald's (yes, I stayed on my diet). We got so rowdy that I thought the manager might ask us to leave. It was so nice catching up with them all.

Probably the only downside to the weekend is that I just haven't shaken my recent illness. My adrenaline would go up and I'd overdo it and then drop, leaving me feeling shaky and weak. But I have to admit, if I had it all to do over again, I'd probably do it all the exact same way!

Laurie
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Friday, March 16, 2007
  The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly On The Plane
Today was an unusual day for me. My sister had the day off and we went to a matinee movie. Then we had lunch and went shopping. My mother joined us for the shopping part. If you know me, you know that I'm not a shopper. I hate it. But I needed to get some things to dance in and I had some luck finding a few things.

Around here, it's a rainy, yucky day. I have to get 8 carriers holes ready for tomorrow and I haven't even started on it yet (luckily I'm just showing 7 bunnies and Anna is showing 1). But it occurred to me that if I had gone to Nationals, I would have had another rainy flight. Planes and rain and rabbits - not a good mix.

One of a number of reasons that I decided not to go to Nationals was the clear memory of my flight to Fort Worth. Hopefully everyone who is flying to Phoenix today heading to Prescott is having a carefree flight. I'd hate to think it will be a repeat of Fort Worth.

I have heard that the numbers at Nationals are low this year. I think very few people from our part of the country are attending. I hate that for the club that put so much work into it. I hope it is profitable for them.

I noticed that a couple of my senior bucks, a junior doe, and a senior doe have burst into full-blown molt this week. I guess that's another good reason for me to be here instead of Arizona. I suppose the fur will be flying for the next several weeks.

Since I am still struggling to totally get over pneumonia in my right lung, I am doubly glad I didn't make the trip. Exhausted on a plane in the rain with my rabbits - nope, there's no appeal there!

I do have one rabbit consolation this weekend - I have a quad show that I can attend just 70 minutes from the house. I don't have a lot to show, but you never know when a rabbit will have a good day.

In any case, I'm looking forward to spending some time with my rabbit friends, traveling light, and definitely not taking a plane.

Laurie
  4:40 PM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, March 15, 2007
  Automatic Water
We used to have a flexible watering system and now we have a PVC-based watering system with heat cables. Since we've been through a full winter now with it, I thought I'd give you my opinion of it.

I LOVE IT.

The diameter of the pipes is so much larger than the flexible system that it takes colder weather (or cold weather longer) to freeze the pipes in the first place. But because we installed a heat cable while we were putting in the system, we had absolutely no frozen water in the barn this winter (except in crocks).

The heat cables are plugged into thermostats, so they come on when it's cold and go off when it's warm. It was totally care-free this winter.

The diameter of the pipes also means that much more water flows through the drain taps we have at the end of each line. It doesn't take long to flush out the lines and filling a jug of water is a snap. When we had the flexible system, it took a number of minutes to fill a jug of water. Since I give litters crocks and have two cages off of the system, I need to be able to fill the jug to fill a number of crocks.

It was so lovely this winter not having to carry even one pail of water to the barn from the house!

There are definitely some downsides to the system.

First, it was harder to install than the flexible system. With the tubing, it really was just a matter of taking a pair of scissors to the barn and pushing the pieces together. I'm not saying that the PVC pipe was very difficult, mind you, just that it was not as easy. There was more planning and measuring involved. There was more calculating of the pieces we'd need. The clips that secure the pipe to the cage are much harder to install than stand-off brackets with the flexible system.

I don't think that the PVC system was much more expensive than the flexible one, but it was definitely somewhat more expensive. The cost of the heat cables and thermostat cubes made the PVC system decidedly more expensive, but you get totally different functionality from that cost.

It's not as changeable as the flexible system. I was thinking about adding another wing to my barn when I realized that it would mean reworking one end of the watering system. The heat cable cannot be cut, to it would be a task to take off the end, disconnect the wiring, run the new PVC backwards onto the wire, and then reconnect everything again.

Because the clips holding the PVC against the cage are so difficult to work with, we've decided that taking the cages down and outside for pressure washing is no longer an option. With the flexible system, we unclipped them easily and reattached them after the cleaning with no problem.

The last downside of the system has to do with how we installed it. We ran it behind the cages so that it wouldn't interfere with our doors, feeders, and hayracks. It works well as far as logistics go. However, when trying to teach rabbits to use the system, it's not as handy to have it in the back. When I come to the door, rabbits often come to me to see what's going on. It's hard to get them to pay attention to the back of the cage. It seems to me that I've had an increased number of rabbits having trouble learning the system. Of course, maybe if I didn't coddle them with crocks as babies I wouldn't have as much problem.

But for all of the drawbacks, the benefits clearly outweigh them, in my opinion. I'm very much enjoying the system and am very glad we changed over.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  9:26 AM 0 comments links to this post
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
  First-Time Moms
I become a mom on November 9, 1989. Andrew and I had traveled to a foster home in Jesus-Maria near Lima, Peru, to meet our daughter. After many years and many struggles, the moment had finally arrived! It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. The foster mother carried Sarah down a set of long, curving steps, making a grand entrance.

After visiting with Sarah for a few minutes, it was time for me to perform my first duties as a first-time mom. I had to change her diaper and her clothes so that the foster mother could keep the clothing she was wearing. Even though I had babysat extensively as a teen and had been around babies as much as possible, I was very nervous and suddenly didn't feel up to the job. After all, the foster parents, social worker, and Andrew were all staring at me!

I started by trying to put the diaper on backwards and was baffled by the task of getting that tiny arm through the sleeve of the undershirt. I'd never handled a 5 lb. baby before! She was so tiny.

I think that rabbit mamas often feel the same way. They didn't have a chance to babysit, but they do have instincts to help guide them. However, a little experience really does help them put those instincts to their best use.

A long-time breeder with a huge herd once told me that you can expect live babies only about half of the time with new mothers. That seemed to be my experience, too, so I just adopted that as a rule of thumb.

But today, I decided to see if my own experiences really do support that idea. So, I evaluated the data for 78 Holland Lop does that I had bred for the very first time.

The first finding is that I average 1.56 live kits with new mothers. However, I also average 0.53 kit deaths, so the yield is only one surviving offspring (0.93) per new-mom litter.

It's too bad my rabbits don't "breed like rabbits!"

My first-timers also average 0.99 stillborn kits per litter.

These numbers average in those mothers that miss altogether, which was 27 of 78 or nearly 29%.

If we take out the ones that missed, we find that I had an average of 2.29 live kits per litter, 1.51 stillborn kits, and 0.82 nest box deaths for a yield of 1.41 kits surviving in each litter.

But what about my odds of getting live kits from a first-time mom? In my study, I found that only 25 does had surviving offspring. That's 31%. So, about 1/3 had surviving babies, 1/3 missed, and 1/3 had kits that ultimately did not survive, either being stillborn or dying in the nest.

So I have a new rule of thumb. I'll only be expecting live babies 1/3 of the time with new moms. That information just might come in handy sometime.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  4:29 PM 0 comments links to this post
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
  The Benefit Of Learners
You've probably all seen it. There are two people behind the judging table working with rabbits. What's up with that? I thought the judge and maybe the writer or ramrod were the only ones allowed back there. In all probability, one of the people is trying to get his or her registrar's or judge's license.

And you may hate this. I mean, it slows things down, doesn't it? And the judge may let the learner place a class. In fact, the judge may be required to do so if the learner is in the very last stage before getting his or her license.

I admit, when I first saw this happening, I didn't care for it much. To me, it was an all-lose and no-win situation, especially if I felt that I would have done better under the judge's placements than under the learner's.

But let's step back a few paces and look at the big picture. Have you ever complained about getting the same ole judges all of the time? Have you ever complained that there are just not enough good judges to go around? Have you ever tried to put together a show and wished that there were more local judges to choose from?

If you've been showing for a while and more than just a couple of shows per year, I'm pretty sure you've had these complaints, even if you've never voiced them to anyone.

But where do good judges come from? Good judges, especially those who are promising from the beginning, are people who have studied hard and practiced a lot. Judging ability doesn't just magically happen to you like the nursery magic happened to the Velveteen Rabbit.

So, yes, it may be a little annoying to have your show slowed down, to have to listen to more explanation than you need, or to feel that perhaps someone is somehow influencing the judge because that person is sharing observations and opinions with him or her. But think of those times as relatively small sacrifices so that the whole system of educating future registrars and judges will work.

And by the way, I've worked with a number of judges. Not one of them has ever taken my opinion on anything! They all have had a teaching attitude and never hesitate to place what they feel is the best animal.

For those of you who have had to put up with me behind the table working with a judge, I want to thank you for your tolerance. And for those of you who will find me behind their table some day, I ask your indulgence. For my part, I am working hard to learn as much as I can so that one day, I will be an asset to our hobby and join the group of worthy rabbit judges.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  10:18 AM 0 comments links to this post
Monday, March 12, 2007
  Welcome 101
Andrew and I have been taking ballroom dancing classes for a number of weeks now. We went to our first dance yesterday. We had planned to go to one earlier, but I had to cancel due to the flu (I still don't have all of my voice back!)

We had a really good time. We arrived a few minutes late and the lesson had already started (there's a 45 minute lesson before the dance - this one was a cha-cha lesson). The basic step for cha-cha has evolved a bit since we last studied it ten years ago, so we were doubly lost. But a very nice gentleman grabbed me and would not let me bow out. I had returned from the ladies room to find Andrew dancing with a very talented woman.

Facing the dance floor was extremely intimidating - this wasn't our classroom or home. There were lots of dancers to navigate and more overwhelming sound from the music. It was difficult to remember any of the steps we thought we knew perfectly at home!

Not long into the dance, one of the club members (the dance was sponsored by a chapter of USA Dance) approached us and invited us to join their club. He mentioned that he had applications at the front desk. Not long after that, members began asking us to dance.

In the middle of the dance, there was a pause for announcements. The visitors were introduced to everyone. Right after that, there was a mixer, which we decided to sit out. But one of the members tightly grabbed my hand and took me through the line. She handpicked my partner and told him I was a beginner. He said, "no problem," and danced me down the floor with some of the more basic steps I had already learned. Again, Irene grabbed my hand and took me back. She found me a new partner who again said, "no problem." He even counted the steps out loud for me!

Later, I went into the kitchen for a cup of water and was greeted by a member who wouldn't take no for an answer. Luckily it was a waltz, the dance I know best. When he tried a step I wasn't familiar with, he kept repeated it until I caught on. Once we had to stop. Again, "no problem." It was so much fun.

Our instructors were there. Bill taught me three rumba steps and danced three of the rumbas with me while Andrew danced with his wife Carol.

Later, Andrew told me that Carol had said he was a natural. I told him that one of the men I danced with in the mixer said I was doing very well. Both comments did a lot to boost our confidence.

I can easily see how going to a first dance would be so intimidating that you could stand in the corner all afternoon (this was a tea dance) and then never come back again. The members, who danced with us, encouraged us, introduced themselves, and invited us to join them, made us feel like they were glad we came. They let us know it was okay not to know a lot. And they were great role models for us by just having so much fun with what they were doing.

It's been a little while now since I was new at rabbits. But I remember my first show clearly. It was intimidating. I had to face a whole crowd of people that I did not know. I didn't know the difference between entering a rabbit and registering a rabbit. My doe wasn't tattooed. In fact, I had entered her as a buck.

But a youth sexed my doe for me. Someone helped me find a tattooer. The show secretary had explained when I entered that I should pick an ear number and that I could find that tattooer at the show. Someone kindly whispered in my ear that I shouldn't point out which rabbit belong to which exhibitors.

And I had a great time.

Now I need to start thinking about things from the other side. I am the beginner in dancing, but I am the established exhibitor in rabbits. I need to pay attention to who is new. I need to be sensitive to how intimidating showing can be when it is your first show. I need to be the one to help get the beginner off to the good start.

In my own local area, it is easy for me to tell who is new and who is more established. But when I travel several hours away, I may not know who is who. Please, if you see me at a show, come up and introduce yourself. If it's your first show, let me know. I want to do my job to help you get a good start.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  9:43 AM 0 comments links to this post
Friday, March 09, 2007
  Stuck And Retained Kits
So far, I haven't had every variation of stuck and retained kits (knock on wood), but I've had some experiences in this area. I don't have all of the answers, but maybe I have one that will help you in the future.

I've had several stuck babies. In all cases thus far, I have been able to help the doe deliver the kit. And in all cases, any further babies have been born dead. But the good news is that none of the does who had a stuck kit had ever had one before or since. So having a stuck kit isn't necessarily the kiss of death for that doe as a producer.

Let me say first that if you don't have mineral oil or some other lubricant as a normal part of your barn supplies, add it to your grocery list now - before you need it. In a pinch, I would use almost anything greasy and non-toxic, including vegetable oil. But I think mineral oil does a great job.

My first step is to soak the doe's nether regions in a basin of warm water. Alternately, you can use a hot compress (actually a very warm compress) around the vent. After about ten or fifteen minutes, lubricate the vent area. If she makes some progress, re-oil the area.

To help her deliver, I will either keep her in the basin, if she's comfortable there, or put her in a towel on my lap.

The next step is to grasp the part of the kit that is protruding. The kit is dead, so don't worry about getting a good grasp on the kit's skeleton - you don't want to just pull off a foot.

Now you want to wait for a contraction. You are not going to pull the kit out, but rather add some outward tension so that any progress she makes stays made. You are going to be working with the doe. I generally find after two or three contractions that the kit will dislodge. If not, massage the vent opening with more oil, re-apply the compress, and keep at it.

You can continue these steps until you have success OR until your doe shows signs of being in distress. So far, I haven't had this problem. But you need to think ahead about that now. Will you put her down, continue to try to deliver, or rush her to the vet for some $$$$ assistance?

Let's assume that the kit is delivered. So far, all of my does have delivered any subsequent kits without incident within 24 hours. I always give my does an injection of Pen B (Combi-Pen) after any delivery with any issues. But I would especially be sure to give one after this situation since she's been in a non-sterile basin and had non-sterile oil slathered on her open vent.

Believe it or not, you can rebreed her just as soon as her vent has returned to normal, assuming she's in good health. Roxie had a stuck kit on December 7, 2006, and a live litter on January 14, 2007!

Retained kits are another thing altogether. There are two types of retained kits - those that are delivered very late and those that are never delivered.

Permanently retained kits cause infertility. Is it possible to have a retained kit on one side and deliver on the other? I'm not sure, but I suspect so. I had a doe with a "thickening" on one side. I often wondered if it was a degenerated retained kit. It may have been a tumor or scar from an infection, though. We'll probably never know.

I have a doe that suddenly stopped producing about nine months ago at an age that is much too young. Now perhaps she'll deliver this time and things will be fine, but if she's permanently stopped producing, then a retained kit may be the issue. When I palpate her, I haven't felt the kit, but her abdomen is always full and firm like a pregnant doe. That's another mystery that may or may not be solved.

I've had a number of the other type of retained kit. You know the kind. The due date comes and goes and you get into the numbers where you know that a live kit is either highly unlikely or impossible. Sure, I've heard of kits being born live on day 35, but how many? Very few.

So far, any doe that I've been absolutely sure was pregnant finally did pass the kits without incident. I do, however, give them an injection of Pen B, just in case an infection is trying to get started with the dead kits. I'm not a vet and I'm just making an educated guess there. Please don't rely on that advice without checking it out through other sources.

Again, the key is watching the doe to see if she appears to be in distress. If she's eating and drinking well and moving about normally, I don't worry (too much). If she appears to be feeling bad or going into shock, then you need to be ready with your pre-determined course of action: put her down or take her to the vet.

Don't wait until this situation arises to try to make that decision. Have a standing policy. And if the vet is a possibility, know which does are worth it and which are not (that will vary from person to person - I have just one or two that I would do almost anything to save - others would do almost anything to save any rabbit).

I know a breeder who opted for the $300 c-section on a doe. She lost all of the kits anyway, as I recall. Her decision was to not go that expensive route in the future. It's important to know what your limits are.

You notice that I haven't mentioned oxytocin. I don't have it and I've never used it. Some people have used it with great success; others have killed their does with it.

If you decide to keep oxytocin on hand, do your research before you ever need it. Know the correct dosage. Know when you can give it and know when you can't. Does must be hormonally and physically ready to work with the ocytocin. Otherwise, it can cause a uterus to rupture. Never use oxytocin as a matter of convenience.

I hope that I never have to deal with stuck or retained kits again, but I'm sure I will. If you haven't had the pleasure, you will, too, if you breed enough. Some of you may, unfortunately, have had even more experience with this than I. I would love to hear from some of you. Please email me (laurie@thenaturetrail.com) if you have had any of the following:
  1. Live kits born after day 35
  2. Live kits born after a retained kit
  3. Retained kits passed more than 7 days after the due date
  4. Live birth from a doe with a confirmed permanently retained kit
  5. Death of a doe after using oxytocin
  6. Any other unusual situation related to stuck or retained kits.

I'd like to hear your story about stuck or retained kits. I think learning more about this subject would be very valuable.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  10:51 AM 0 comments links to this post
Thursday, March 08, 2007
  Sweepstakes Points - What Do They Really Mean
If you've received your Hollander, then you may have noticed that updated Sweepstakes points are printed in it. I'm not sure why they haven't shown up on the website yet, but at least we can see how things stood before the last quarter of last "year's" six-quarter sweeps year.

The points are interesting and I'd rather do better on them than worse, but it's far from a perfect system. Mind, I don't think there's any way to make a better system. There are just too many variables that cannot be controlled. So enjoy perusing them. Celebrate your successes. Congratulate those who did well. But don't put too awful much stock in them.

When I look at them, I try to extrapolate some of the true picture, if I can. There's more information there than you see at first glance.

For example, I note how many shows a person attended. I'm often amazed that some people attend just a handful of shows a year, but still manage to rank high enough to be noticeable. Of course, if those shows are Nationals and Convention, it is easier to rack up sweeps points at those shows simply because of the huge number of points available compared to local shows. But it's still quite an accomplishment to attend few shows and do better than those who show almost every week.

I also note which are individual breeders or families/couples and which are co-ops. If I have more than half as many points as a co-op, for example, I know that I did better than at least one of them, and maybe both, had they had competed individually. But you do have to know what some of the listings mean. Tim & Ardis, for example, are a couple; Roehe and Gibbons are a family. Not every listing with different last names is a co-op.

Competition varies in parts of the country, too. I love herdsman points and quality points, but in some regions, there's only one competitive Holland breeder. They get all or most of the BOBs and a fair number of BIS wins, too, if the area is not strong for rabbit showing overall. Conversely, there are areas where there are several highly competitive breeders in a reasonably small area. Those breeders may each get fewer BOBs, but when they get one, it's very valuable.

The number of shows also affects points that accumulate. You just can't accumulate 20 herdsman points if you only go to 19 shows. Once again, I appear to be the Holland breeder that shows the most (hence my concerted effort to cut down on showing - if that's not an indication that I'm addicted to showing, I don't know what is!). If you want to see how well you would do if you had attended 70 shows, just multiply your average number of points per show times 70. You might find that you do better than I do, if you aren't already ranked higher.

I also like to ferret out whether a breeder is doing well with just one or maybe a few Hollands or whether they produce a number of good rabbits. There's no use envying someone who is doing well when, really, they've got all of their eggs in one basket (or maybe even bought all of their eggs!)

So the bottom line is this - don't let points be your primary motivator. Don't get too wrapped up in them. Yes, it's fun to see your name in print. It's definitely valuable to get your name out there (helps you sell rabbits). And it's nice to see a really great rabbit get its due recognition. But the other parts of showing rabbits - accomplishment, friendship, fun - are so much better.

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
  12:08 PM 1 comments links to this post
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
  Ears
I want to say from the very beginning that I do not have perfect ears - and neither do my rabbits. But I have made huge improvements in my ears since the very beginning of my program.

I started out with lots of very long ears. I mean donkey ears. And I hated them. It didn't matter to me whether it was the smartest move or not, I had to work on ears. I just couldn't be happy with long-eared Hollands, no matter what else might be right with them.

So where should we start in our discussion of ears? The Standard of Perfection, of course. That's the place to start any study of conformation.

Ears are ten points. It doesn't sound like a lot, but consider that bone, feet, and legs are also ten points and you realize that, if a judge is applying the points correctly, those ears are as important as heavy bone! And the ears are more important than color, markings, and condition put together (a total of 9). Ears are even more important than crown (though they are heavily influenced by the crown, as we shall discuss later on).

Compared to other breeds, ten points for ears is huge: many breeds don't allot ten points for both head and ears together! Some breeds do not think ears are worth mentioning in the points; most fall in the 2 to 5 point range. I noticed four breeds that also have ten points on ears: Beveren, Britannia Petite, American Fuzzy Lop, and Jersey Wooly. Interestingly, there are four breeds that allocate even more points to ears than we do: Polish (15), French Lop (15), Netherland Dwarf (15), and English Lop (33) - obviously!

Okay, on to our standard. We're to have wide, thick, well-furred ears that balance with the rabbit's head. The positioning of the ear is just behind the eye. That position gives good width to the crown and comes from a crown that is not slipped too far back.

The crown is such an integral part of the success of the ear that it's even mentioned in the ear standard. We probably should just have 18 points for the ear and crown together!

The ear length should not be more than an inch below the jaw line. That's a tricky one. Ears that are too long but attached to a tight crown may meet that criteria and still be too long. Ears that attach just behind the eye must be pretty short to stop at the appropriate level.

I mentioned at the top of this BLOG that I had had long ears and have successfully shortened them. I found one buck with super short ears who has a very strong influence on his offspring. You can just about go around the barn and point out his ears on many of my rabbits. So it didn't take long, with the right piece of genetic material.

One ear problem that I hate and sometimes struggle with is folded ears. There are two causes for folded ears: first, the ears are thin, so they fold with just the least amount of pressure or excitement on the part of the rabbit; second, the crown is narrow, which makes the opening to the ear narrow, causing the ear to bell or fold.

Because crowns can develop some as the Holland matures, especially bucks, you might see a little bit of improvement on belled ears or those with slightly narrow openings. I've never seen a very skinny crown go totally chunky, though. Thin ears seem to always stay thin.

I've run into one judge who is super picky about the shape of the ear tips. They should be rounded. And I agree that that's the most attractive shape. But we've had big winners to have slightly pointy ear tips. I remember that one of the earlier versions of our current logo actually had less than rounded ear tips in the beginning. I'd probably never, ever cull for pointy ear tips (unless that were the only tie-breaker), and I suppose it will be a long time before I have fixed so much in my herd that ear tips comes to the top of my priority list.

For me, personally, ear length was the first and most important aspect I wanted to change. Now I am working on getting those ears to be more open. There's a youth breeder in California who has some amazing open ears that I'm lusting after. Go check out those ears on senior buck Julius.

My herd varies in ear thickness and fur covering, but I have enough good pieces in my barn that I'm not overly worried about that.

Let me say a word or two about ear carriage. I have a tendency in my barn toward tighter crowns. It's something I'd like to work on at some point in the future. But for now, I know that I'm going to have more trouble in the winter and I'm going to have to wait for those crowns to widen. That's not a problem since I'm such a patient person (not!). Despite having no patience, I do have lots of experience that tells me the majority of those ears will come down as those crowns mature and widen.

I have found that the better the judge is in terms of knowledge of Hollands, the less flighty ears will bother the judge, especially with young Hollands. Good judges know to evaluate ear carriage when the Holland is relaxed and they know that those ears just have to be below horizontal. (The better judges also know that allowing a Holland to run on the table is not a good method for calming a Holland, who might put up their ears because they are curious about their surroundings - many times, a soothing touch will work better or just leaving them in the coop for awhile will do the trick.)

Sakata was second at Nationals. The judge told me that her ear carriage kept her out of first place. She had a great body. Some people would have culled her. I granded her. I no longer have Sakata (sad story), but I do have her sister, whose ears hang quite nicely now.

Ears, crown, and pose are three things that really set Hollands apart from most other breeds. We do need to pay them some attention. My herd is a work in progress. I've seen lots of improvement and I have lots of things to work on. Good thing, too. I'd hate to be bored!

Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry “Home Of Grand Champions”
Precious Pet Rabbits
Affordable Web Site Design
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Tuesday, March 06, 2007
  The Good And Bad Of Spring
With spring just 15 days away, it's really on my mind. We've had a wacky winter, to say the least, and I'm ready to get on with spring already.

Spring is the best breeding time of the year. I really look forward to willing does and successful litters during the spring. I've already talked about spring cleaning, which I also really look forward to. There are plenty of shows in the spring, too, and I've got a couple on my list that I'm really excited about. Spring is a wonderful time!

So with all of this good in spring, what's the bad? It's the mercurial nature of the weather. It's really hard on rabbits. Spring (and fall) could be called the dying times of the year for rabbits. Really warm days and very chilly nights cause a lot of trouble for rabbits, who don't deal well with any kind of change.

You'd think that the dead of winter or the height of summer would be worse, but rabbits actually deal with the constant extremes (assuming they have appropriate protection) better than changing situations.

So what should you do about it?

First, since you know that rabbits are being stressed by the uneven weather, keep that in mind if you decide to make other changes in their lives. You will want to mentally calculate their total stress load to see if the change is really worth it at that time of the year.

If your barn is still wrapped up for winter, which is very common in early spring, make sure that you increase ventilation on warm days, especially warm sunny days. We cover our northern windows with tarps and our southern windows with clear plastic. That greenhouse effect is great in the winter but deadly in the spring. Keep a close watch on it.

Consider adding a probiotic or other treatments that you normally reserve for traveling or illness. The change in the weather is a silent killer that can sneak past you - treat it as significantly as you would other stresses.

Keep the hay flowing. Hay helps rabbits deal with all kinds of stress.

If the worst happens and you do lose a rabbit or two during the spring, try not to panic. Sure, check out the usual suspects. Rabbits can die for other reasons during the spring, too. But don't jump to conclusions about your feed or some otherwise symptomless illness.