Double Dwarfing Gene

[RogerL]

I have a question for the genetic gurus out there.

I have a 7 month old broken castor buck that weighs 3.10 lbs.

I have bred him 4 times. Once to his dam (3.10 lbs) once

to his grandam (3.08 lbs) once to his aunt (4.01 lbs) and once

to a totally unrelated doe (4.04 lbs). In the 19 kits that these breedings

produced there was not one peanut. I am not complaining but I

can't figure it out. He is a small buck but I think that he does not

carry the dwarfing gene. His grandam has had 4 other litters and

always has at least 2 peanuts in every litter. The unrelated doe has

had peanuts before as well. All of the kits are small and very nice mini-rex.

Any thoughts

Roger L

 

[TinysMom]

Congrats on having a nice buck that will throw the kits you want?

Seriously, I'm happy for you.....having peanuts is just so sad.

I'm sure someone else with more knowledge will chime in - but I'd be jumping up and down for joy at a situation like yours.

Peg

RogerL wrote:

All of the kits are small and very nice mini-rex.

Any thoughts

Roger L

 

[RogerL]

I am very happy that he produces so well!! He is a nice buck,

a little slow to mature but look out now. His dam has 21 legs including

5 BIS, his sire who he is line-bred on has over 18 legs and sired the

'05 BOB at mini-rex nationals. He got his first BOV leg at his last show.

I am happy not to get any peanuts from him I am just trying to

figure out if he is just genetically small without the dwarfing gene

which would be wonderful and something I would definately concentrate

in my line or just a fluke.

Is it possible for a mini-rex to be as small as he is and not have the

dwarfing gene.

Roger

 

[pamnock]

Yes -- it's possible for rabbits to be small and not have the dwarfing gene (the Polish breed, for example).

I don't personally like the dwarfed features in the Mini Rex (a head resembling a ND is faulted and MR under 3 lbs. are DQed, short ears that don't balance can also be faulted).

He sounds like he's going to be an awesome show and herd buck!!!



Pam

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

I will agree, it is possible that he does not carry the (dw) dwarfing gene... however he may but justisn't throwing it around like wildfire.

As an example, I have a 3.08 pound Lynx buck (almost 3 1/2 yrs old) who has never produced a single peanut until recently. In the 51 offspring I've gotten out of him (11 litters), there has only been 3 peanuts. I've bred him to several does who regularly had at least 1 peanut in each litter... but not with this buck.

Maybe yours is the same way? Just a thought.

~Sunshine

 

[RogerL]

I think that you are right Sunshine. I will see what happens when

I breed in the fall for Nationals.

Pam, I know what you mean about a netherland looking mini-rex.

I have a 3 lb doe that I would swear was half netherland if I didn't

see her parents. I am not too keen on the look myself and would have

sold her as a pet but her type and fur other than her head is really

nice.

Roger