Color/Breeding Question

[maggies.family]

I just bought a chestnut Netherland Dwarf doe this evening. I have an opportunity to purchase 2 bucks, one a REW and the other Opal color. Being new to breeding rabbits and trying to figure out coloring and breeding.....would these be good options for breeding to my chestnut?

Thank you!

 

[Bunnylady]

At the risk of sounding cranky, I will say that what you really should be concentrating on is the conformation, not the color, of the animals. You want animals that complement each other. If both have the same positive features, great, but one thing you want to avoid is breeding animals that have the same faults together - good x good doesn't always equal good, but bad x bad almost always equals worse! But let's assume for the sake of discussion that the doe is a good representative of her breed, and the bucks are equally good; and that whatever faults the bucks may have won't reinforce whatever problems the doe has.

Now that I have that off my chest rolleyes

There are a bunch of different genes that affect rabbit coat color. Your doe is expressing the most dominant possibility at almost every location within the rabbit genetic code that is known to affect color. (the exceptions are: she's not a broken, and she isn't a steel/dominant black) Because she's expressing the dominant allele, you can't know (just by looking) what recessive alleles she may be carrying. Pedigrees can help you a lot when it comes to figuring out what recessives might be lurking, but not always. Breed two animals that are expressing dominant alleles, but carrying recessives, together, and you can get some offspring that got the recessive from both parents and wind up completely different from the parents.

For example, there are 3 possibilities at the A locus.

A - agouti allele. Light rings around the eyes, light inside the ears, around the nostrils, under the jaw, on the belly, on the bottom of the tail, and between the toes. The body hairs have bands of color - dark on the tip of the hair, light in the middle, then a greyish band closest to the skin.

At - tan allele. Has the light colored "trim" of the agouti, but the body hairs look like a self.

a - self allele. No lighter eye ring, ear lining, etc. Bottom of tail colored, as is belly, etc. Body hairs not banded, but have pretty much the same color throughout the length of the hair.


An animal that is expressing the agouti allele (A) could be carrying either the tan (at) or the self (a) allele, and you couldn't tell, just by looking at the rabbit. If you knew that one of an agouti-patterned rabbit's parents was an agouti (a chestnut, say, or a chinchilla), and the other a self (black, blue, etc) you could see that the rabbit was expressing the dominant allele (A) that it got from its agouti parent, but would have to be carrying a self allele (a) from the self parent, because that is all the self has, so that's the only thing it can give. If you had two rabbits that are Aa and breed them together, sooner or later you'll get babies that got the recessive self (a) allele from both parents, and are selfs.

The Opal is expressing most of the same dominant alleles that the doe is, with the exception of the dilution gene. If the Chestnut is carrying a dilution allele, you could get dilutes out of the cross.

The REW is a bit of a wild card. It is expressing the most recessive allele in the C series, an allele that shuts down all pigment going into the coat. You have no idea what that animal is carrying at any other locus, so you really haven't any idea what it bring to the table as far as self vs. tan vs. agouti, chocolate vs. black, full color vs. dilute, etc. REW's can be fantastic animals type-wise, because you don't have to worry about good color, you can concentrate on type and quality of coat. On the other hand, they can be real nuisances in a breeding program, because they can carry the genes that cause some problems (like stray white hairs in the coat) that can show up in the offspring.

In my mind, there's no simple answer. If the REW is an outstanding animal, and the Opal only so-so, I'd risk the unknown and go with the REW for its better type. If they are basically the same, I'd go with the Opal, just because you can better see what you're getting.

 

[maggies.family]

Not cranky at all! I appreciate the info you have given me! Thank you very much!

I guess I wasn't really concerned about color, really. It was more concern that I was going to do something wonky. Didn't know if there was some "rule" about crossing color. I hope that makes sense, because honestly....I have NO clue what i'm doing! LOL I was reading about color, genetics, etc last night and was making myself CRAZY!

The REW has a better type....beautiful rabbit. The opal is is gorgeous and about the sweetest little thing I have ever encountered. He comes from excellent lines....we *may* use him for breeding, but right now we think he will just be a pet for my daughter.

We have A LOT to learn, so I thank you again for typing out such a thoughtful response. There is so much to learn! Now off to RE-read your response and have some of it soak in! hahaa