The "True" Lion Heads

[ZRabbits]

Well, I finally got my membership card from the NALRC. Plus I received my NALRC guidebook. Very interesting read. .

Gail Gibbons explains the Double Mane very well. The mane on a Lionhead is the result of a genetic mutation. Unlike most other genetic mutations in rabbit fur type it is the dominate gene. You will see the affect on the first generation cross.

Now with every bunny, there are two genetic pairs. With the Double Mane it is MM, with Single Mane it is Mm, and with No Mane it's mm.

Now Ms. Gibbons goes on and states that some people feel that the non-mane rabbits (mm) can be useful in a breeding program. This is where Netherlands, Hollands, and now Rexes came in. They believe a Lionhead caring one mane gene (Mm) will make the best show rabbits. And they can get more Single Mane (Mm) kits if using a Double Mane and Non-mane. Some people feel its necessary to be showable because they are cleaner looking. Hmm, just like the Rex Lionhead?

But thankfully reading Ms. Gibbons article that a great number of Lionhead breeders do not agree with this Single Mane stance. They feel that for the longevity of the Mane and the future of the Lionhead, rabbits should be bred Double Mane.

Within this guidebook I've found out how Lion heads were started. How other breeds were brought into this (like most others) to enhance this breed. Some still question why Hollands were ever used. It's amazing to read how breeders formed their rabbitry. And it's interesting to read the turmoil still going on about Single and Double Manes.

Singles are clean looking, but Doubles hold their Mane so much better. Though a DM doe will lose her mane being pregnant, she will most always get it back. With a single, sometimes it never does. And if more of these test mixes get out, you will really have to check the background of these bunnies to make sure lop ears and rex fur don't pop up in your breeding program.

K

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Very interesting Miss.Muppet is a double maned REW. She is lovely.

 

[ZRabbits]

Wool Points:

The mane is made of wool that is strong and lively feeling with a soft silky texture. It should be wavy, showing crimping of the underwool, this crimping is often more evident in junior animals. Guard hairs will be present to protect the wool but should never creaet a coarse feeling to the wool. Only the quality of the wool of the mane is used when judging Lion head wool. The quality of the transition wool, found on the lower sides and rump is never taken into consideration.

(I guess this is now being re-valuated by the ARBA and the Lion Head because of the change of the skirt being made recently.)

Disqualifications: Lack of any mane, or a mane that is of such poor quality that it shows open areas with no wool or has a shape that is very uneven in length and fullness. A mane that consists of long normal fur instead of wool. Mane wool that is less than 2 inches in length.

Coat Points:

The fur should be soft, dense, of medium length and prime. It should show lots of life and glossiness. Ideally the saddle, flanks, and rump of the animal should be clean of wool (The Single mane crowd). Transition wool is allowed on the lower rear sides section of the lower flanks and the lower section of the hind legs and rumps of juniors and seniors. Transition wool is defined as significantly shorter wool on teh body or face of the Lion head rabbits. Transition wool is not to exceed 2 inches on the body and 1 inch on the face. The ideal Lionhead should carry no transition wool.


K

 

[wendymac]

No wonder getting Lionheads recognized is such a long process. Not only are some for/against the two mane types, but add in the ears and it's confusing!

Is there anyone with a current CoD for lopped lions? If so, are they going with the single or double mane?

 

[CCWelch]

I do know that someone has a COD and that they were NOT shown at convention last year. I believe theirs is single mane.

 

[ZRabbits]

They would only get single mane. Only have the Mm gene in Lop Lion heads. They might get a MM in every one hundred kits born. There is no guarantee that a Mm will hold on to that Mane.

Be a bit hard to get a COD when you need many generations on the table. And the kits have to be from the Same Father who is being submitted for COD. Single mane is tough even for those who are trying to pass COD for the Lionhead. No guarantee of Mane being there and strong in the line.

K

 

[laylabunny]

Whenever I've shown my young single manes (when they still have a nice full mane) they've always beaten out my double manes. They were F1 generation, so they were half netherland dwarf. They had the better type and were cleaner, so they won. I've had more judges being sticklers for too much wool. Of course, six months later, the single manes hardly have any mane at all. However, now a generation later, I'm having litters from that show winning single mane. The kits have the type stamped on them with the short ears, so I'm now getting the full package double manes. Single manes have their place in the breeding program if they can improve upon the double maned rabbits. I just had a litter out of my double mane doe and my single mane buck. Three are double mane and 2 are single mane, and they are ALL gorgeous!

 

[ZRabbits]

laylabunny wrote:

Whenever I've shown my young single manes (when they still have a nice full mane) they've always beaten out my double manes. They were F1 generation, so they were half netherland dwarf. They had the better type and were cleaner, so they won. I've had more judges being sticklers for too much wool. Of course, six months later, the single manes hardly have any mane at all. However, now a generation later, I'm having litters from that show winning single mane. The kits have the type stamped on them with the short ears, so I'm now getting the full package double manes. Single manes have their place in the breeding program if they can improve upon the double maned rabbits. I just had a litter out of my double mane doe and my single mane buck. Three are double mane and 2 are single mane, and they are ALL gorgeous!

Outstanding! I know you don't remember me, but I did inquire about your kits a few months back. I am so happy here that your rabbitry is starting to produce such gorgeous kits. I focused on the DM because of the fact of the dominant gene. Believe me, in the future, single mane will probably be in my rabbitry because of the fact that I'm focused on not just the mane but the ears, the conformation, etc.

Congratulations! I would love to talk with you regarding Lionheads in general. You are the first person who has spoken of the process and the projects. If you could, and you have the time, visit my blog. I would appreciate any comment on my Neville.
Good or bad, doesn't matter. I am just starting out and I want to make sure that I don't do anything to harm this breed. It's such an awesome breed and we all need advise of an experienced breeder.

Again, Congratulations!

K

 

[Samara]

I was talking with Gubble's breeder today (he's a mini lop) about Molly my Lionhead/lop.

Molly's pedigree says she's a "Lionlop" but the breeder she is from referred to her as a "lionhead". She is a single mane. I brought her home as a retired bunny so what she was didn't matter to us. I didn't notice the difference until I was putting her paperwork in my pet files.

The accidental litter she had with Atticus (English Lop purebred) produced 3 kits, one short haired and 2 DOUBLE maned babies. Gub's breeder said this was very unusual. That seems on par with all of the above.

Doesn't it figure that some unusual kits crop up in a mixed breed that has no chance of being in a structured breeding program?

:grumpy:

 

[laylabunny]

The accidental litter she had with Atticus (English Lop purebred) produced 3 kits, one short haired and 2 DOUBLE maned babies. Gub's breeder said this was very unusual. That seems on par with all of the above.

I wanted to point out that even if she was double maned, none of the babies born of this cross would be double maned. If you have babies with manes, they can only be single manes, because the english lop has no mane gene. Your breeding would have been a mm (father) x Mm (mother). The results would be 50% of the kits with no mane and 50% single manes (mm and Mm). The proof is in the kit with no mane.

If you bred a double mane to a no mane (MM x mm) you would get 100% single maned kits (Mm).

Hope this helps :biggrin: