The new breeding program has finally begun with our rabbits. With all new stock, it has been a long time waiting for them to be old enough to breed. And although the does have been ready, we've had to wait for the bucks (which usually take a little longer to reach sexual maturity). And although it has only been months, it feels like years.
One thing that is frustrating is having a doe that refuses to be bred. Even forced breeding is unsuccessful (particularly with a young buck). So it's try, wait a couple days, then try again.
Because of our previous breeding schedule, this was never an issue. In fact, every doe we put in with the buck is more than willing to lift their tail and accept the breeding. Why was this? Because with the accelerated breeding program this is just how it works. They WANT to be bred.
The accelerated breeding program we use is this: Two weeks (14 days) after the doe kindles, she is rebred. The kits are weaned between 4 to 5 weeks (depending on the litter) and the doe has a week before she kindles again. And because we have an A/C cooled rabbitry, this can continue throughout the year.
This is effective 99% of the time. Occasionally a doe will need to rest an extra week between litters due to a specific need. They are obviously given this time to be in complete health before rebreeding. However, if this is a regular need of a doe, she is removed from the accelerated breeding program and is replaced with a doe that can handle it.
This doe replacement and finding the strongest producers is done through selective breeding, keeping only the best of the best for our breeding program. In doing this, we continually improve upon the breeding qualities of the herd with numbers, health, size, fur quality, growth rate and temperament all taken into consideration.
So if you are one of the many individuals who have been waiting for some rabbits from us, you will soon get your chance. We thank you for your patience and continued support and look forward to sharing the offspring of this great stock with you!
AZ Rabbits