This 'n' that...
This n That is exactly what it says.. a place worthy of a regular visit as we add musings - conundrums - funny thoughts or events or anything else that takes our fancy :) The most recent topic will always be at the top...
CONTINENTAL vs ENGLISH TYPE
We have been hearing much controversy on our English type vs European/continental type in the Netherland Dwarf circles this last year - we find some of the most outspoken and false claims on how much continental type will ruin your bloodlines and rabbits quite funny at times - and also quite frustrating - as in our view its quite misleading!
Continental type I find is a bonus when used with care... if you do not set a plan and don't know what you are looking for when keeping offspring then of course you are going to lose your way somewhat - but then if you don't know how to select the right kits to keep back would you have lost your way anyway with just English type?
Personally I see the rest of the world evolving in type and I like most of what I see - we are a very traditional patriotic country but I feel (and my opinion ONLY) that we are standing alone with our Dwarfs - don't get me wrong - they are stunning in their own right - but the more I look round at the rest of the world the more I prefer the shorter body and super ears and thick boning many are producing...
Firstly here is my view on it....
We have several imported rabbits in our shed - and they have been of HUGE benefit to us - they have improved boning - ear structure and body length for me .. and in some cases even coat.
They have been worth every penny and my best piece of advice to you would be to check out each country's Standard you are looking to buy from - seek out photos of their rabbit shows to 'see' their type - some countries do pose their rabbits long and low not unlike a Himalayan rabbit and yet others pose their rabbits very short and more upright like USA type
Choose your breeder source with care and you won't go far wrong
Some pointers and myths:
Continental type I find is a bonus when used with care... if you do not set a plan and don't know what you are looking for when keeping offspring then of course you are going to lose your way somewhat - but then if you don't know how to select the right kits to keep back would you have lost your way anyway with just English type?
Personally I see the rest of the world evolving in type and I like most of what I see - we are a very traditional patriotic country but I feel (and my opinion ONLY) that we are standing alone with our Dwarfs - don't get me wrong - they are stunning in their own right - but the more I look round at the rest of the world the more I prefer the shorter body and super ears and thick boning many are producing...
Firstly here is my view on it....
We have several imported rabbits in our shed - and they have been of HUGE benefit to us - they have improved boning - ear structure and body length for me .. and in some cases even coat.
They have been worth every penny and my best piece of advice to you would be to check out each country's Standard you are looking to buy from - seek out photos of their rabbit shows to 'see' their type - some countries do pose their rabbits long and low not unlike a Himalayan rabbit and yet others pose their rabbits very short and more upright like USA type
Choose your breeder source with care and you won't go far wrong
Some pointers and myths:
- NO they are NOT all huge 3lb+ rabbits in Europe that will produce you nothing but HUGE over weight offspring
- NO they are not all long in front leg because they pose tall
- YES some do have coarse coats compared to our English coats and that is something you have to select and breed away from if your purchases produce coarse coated offspring but not all do!
- YES they do (in my view) mostly have superior boning - even the long lower posed rabbits are chunky
- There are 2 types of ear set in Europe - they BOTH have thick - substantial - well furred ears which I find lacking in many UK rabbits - they do both have rounded tips and wide bases to the ear - where they differ is that 1 type slants backward and is not in the correct ear position in line with the back of the eye - but the other type is! They tend to be closer to the perfect position - are upright, shorter in length and face sideways and not backwards on the head. For me the European ear of the upright type is the perfect ear that I strive for! So choose your breeder that you wish to buy from with care and make sure that he has the right type you seek! They do have their issues with ears too but in my opinion they are much further along than we are in correcting it!
- YES they do have shorter body length than UK type - which I happen to like - maybe you don't and prefer the traditional UK style - but having the shorter heavier boned body length has also helped reduce pinched hindquarters /splayed back legs and hip pins in my stock - not eradicated yet but give me time :)
- For me the blending of 2 different styles is slowly working - I get rejects like anyone else but I can see improvement and I KNOW its down to the imports as I have kept strict records and planned my matings with care - you need to know what you want to change in your stock - you need to buy the correct imports to make those changes and you need to make sure you keep only the stock that has those traits improved and not be blinded by other things... then its a success... so don't listen to malicious or jealous gossip and believe it - do your research - and make your own decisions based on what you find!
This buck above I bred from a very English type doe (who incidentally weighed 3.1lb!!) to a buck bred from import parents - the buck was a choc self successfully shown and winning in the UK (incl a BOB win at the London Champs) ... but how can that be when he was 100% import blood?? In his offspring you can see the shorter body - the boning has improved but he has very typical English ears that are not in the right position, slightly folded - although a little thicker they don't have the well furred substance of a import ear and they slant a little backwards same as the English type doe did - coat is definitely more English with a shade more thickness than usual - when you compare him to the doe opposite - which do you prefer?
This is one of the 2 types available in Europe - this is the one where they sit long and low (despite my best efforts to pose shorter) and they have longer bodies - I nickname this the 'slug position' LOL .. although the ears slant backward they are still well furred - thick - wide in shape and substantial - and this rabbit still has thick boning and a nice coat
|
This is a super imported Black Fox doe bred by Team Netland Oftedal who I consider to have some of the best Dwarfs an English breeder could use for blending - I find their rabbits to be of high quality and type. She is slightly longer in body than a show buck would be which is perfect for a doe - she weighs 2.7lb and has super boning - thick coat - good skull width - and short well furred substantial ears which are in the correct position though you can't see so well in this image as she has her head turned towards the camera - over all a real quality doe that's perfect for blending. She is now hopefully pregnant to an English bred Fox from English x import lines so we will see how the offspring develop :) This is the other type available in Europe and the one I prefer (this baby is bred by Team Netland Oftedal) - ultra short body - bang upright ears and dripping in bone - and still only a baby.
Team Netland Oftedal produce this type consistently and have spent several years blending various types to get the style they want and like.. I think they have succeeded though tore Oftedal feels he still has not produced the perfect rabbit and still has much work ahead! |
RHD/VHD AND THE RABBIT FANCY
Most rabbit breeders around the world will be aware of the epidemic spread of a fatal new disease in the rabbit world.. RHD/VHD originally was known as VHD1 - where rabbits would be found dead with blood hemorrhaging from their nose but very little if any warning signs leading to their death.. this has now mutated into RHD2 - which has no signs whatsoever - you just find a dead rabbit - no blood - no symptoms.. the 2nd strain is also very virulent compared to the first strain and will hang around for up to 6 mths within a rabbitry.
Interestingly within the UK it has been mainly pet breeders and owners who have suffered losses - and the wild rabbit population is also being decimated. Off the few show breeders who have been hit it has shown some interesting quirks - one breeder lost only one breed of rabbit in his shed despite having 3-4 breeds of rabbit - another lost his whole stock almost and another lost maybe a third of stock.
In March we decided to 'lockdown' our shed - we stopped showing .. started a strict disinfect agenda using Agricide and Anigen - foot baths and fly curtains/killers etc .. and up to now we have been safe..
There is now a vaccine that protects against both strains of VHD/RHD called Felivac - it was created by a Spanish company and has only just in the last month or so become available in the UK - we have ordered our vaccine and hope it to have arrived by beg of August. Please speak to your vet about it as the only way to stop this spread across the country is to vaccinate - but make sure its the FELIVA COMBI RHD vaccine - NOT the VHD/Myxomatosis vaccine that was widely available before as this is of almost no use to protect your rabbits from the current strain as it is believed that VHD1 is now in the minority as RHD2 has overtaken it..
One thing I do find sad about this is the ensuing panic this is causing around the country... in stead of supporting one another and fellow Breeders who are hit by this awful disease a small minority of people have chosen to go on the defensive and attack victims driving them out of the Fancy.. we all need to work together and put sensible husbandry practice in place if we are to beat this...
As a specialist of rare colors we know that if RHD was ever to hit our shed we could not recover as we would find it nigh on impossible to replace many of the colors we have - so we are holding our breath and praying!
Below are the notes from the BRC to help pet owners and breeders cope with this terrible disease... ignore the sentence saying there is no vaccine available as that has now changed..
Interestingly within the UK it has been mainly pet breeders and owners who have suffered losses - and the wild rabbit population is also being decimated. Off the few show breeders who have been hit it has shown some interesting quirks - one breeder lost only one breed of rabbit in his shed despite having 3-4 breeds of rabbit - another lost his whole stock almost and another lost maybe a third of stock.
In March we decided to 'lockdown' our shed - we stopped showing .. started a strict disinfect agenda using Agricide and Anigen - foot baths and fly curtains/killers etc .. and up to now we have been safe..
There is now a vaccine that protects against both strains of VHD/RHD called Felivac - it was created by a Spanish company and has only just in the last month or so become available in the UK - we have ordered our vaccine and hope it to have arrived by beg of August. Please speak to your vet about it as the only way to stop this spread across the country is to vaccinate - but make sure its the FELIVA COMBI RHD vaccine - NOT the VHD/Myxomatosis vaccine that was widely available before as this is of almost no use to protect your rabbits from the current strain as it is believed that VHD1 is now in the minority as RHD2 has overtaken it..
One thing I do find sad about this is the ensuing panic this is causing around the country... in stead of supporting one another and fellow Breeders who are hit by this awful disease a small minority of people have chosen to go on the defensive and attack victims driving them out of the Fancy.. we all need to work together and put sensible husbandry practice in place if we are to beat this...
As a specialist of rare colors we know that if RHD was ever to hit our shed we could not recover as we would find it nigh on impossible to replace many of the colors we have - so we are holding our breath and praying!
Below are the notes from the BRC to help pet owners and breeders cope with this terrible disease... ignore the sentence saying there is no vaccine available as that has now changed..
FAITH is restored!
And on the heels of my last post below about losing our way in our precious hobby I have a happy tale (or tail) to tell :)
For the first time in 18-20 yrs I returned to the show ring... and our first show was Huddersfield & District who were co-running with Northern Dwarf Club..
Although the Hall was a little rural it was 5 mins of the motorway.. parking was adequate - views across the valley stunning despite the atrocious wind and rain! The venue was a converted chapel with a striking arch window... And I cannot commend this Club enough as the Committee were cheerful - friendly - welcoming and efficient - the food and kitchen staff were spot on - and the hall was packed and abuzz with conversation - laughter and a shared passion.
The whole day was a pleasure with chairs to sit for the less able (like myself) - there was also a separate room where you could sit and eat and watch the results scroll on the TV screen (FAB idea!)
I laughed - caught up with old (and some very old .. Alan LOL) faces and rabbit linked friendships - I did manage to take a few pics which are up on Facebook and I spent the journey homeward bound discussing with my mate about what a great day it had been
AND we won some CCs - and our Lutino buck also attracted a LOT of interest :)
So I think we will be back again Huddersfield - GOD help you LOL xxxx
For the first time in 18-20 yrs I returned to the show ring... and our first show was Huddersfield & District who were co-running with Northern Dwarf Club..
Although the Hall was a little rural it was 5 mins of the motorway.. parking was adequate - views across the valley stunning despite the atrocious wind and rain! The venue was a converted chapel with a striking arch window... And I cannot commend this Club enough as the Committee were cheerful - friendly - welcoming and efficient - the food and kitchen staff were spot on - and the hall was packed and abuzz with conversation - laughter and a shared passion.
The whole day was a pleasure with chairs to sit for the less able (like myself) - there was also a separate room where you could sit and eat and watch the results scroll on the TV screen (FAB idea!)
I laughed - caught up with old (and some very old .. Alan LOL) faces and rabbit linked friendships - I did manage to take a few pics which are up on Facebook and I spent the journey homeward bound discussing with my mate about what a great day it had been
AND we won some CCs - and our Lutino buck also attracted a LOT of interest :)
So I think we will be back again Huddersfield - GOD help you LOL xxxx
Losing our way....
Having returned to showing and breeding Netherland Dwarfs after an 18 yr break I sort of half expected the same sort of atmosphere/lifestyle/companionship to be there in rabbit circles.. with the huge growth of social media like Facebook - Instagram and Twitter finding like minded friendships is made so much easier.. but sadly I have discovered that along with that ease of contact and growth an unsettling piece of gossip - rivalry - even malice has also grown... :(
Some seem to have forgotten this is a HOBBY - its not just about the winning .. its not just about the breeding challenges or the baby sales ... but its also about friendship ... socialising .. companionship ... education ... encouragement .. helping out ... becoming a mentor for those just starting out who need help ... and sharing..
I have already in my 8 mths back experienced malicious back stabbing tittle tattling that was taken out of context - and I have seen numerous fall outs - nasty comments - abrupt out spoken please or offend Breeders and outright lying and selling of diseased and dud stock in the rabbit community .. its sadly no different from dog and cat breed/show circles either - its not just rabbits... so maybe people should start heading back to grass roots and taking a long hard look at themselves - they were all beginners with nothing but ignorance and a dream to kick them off.. time to dump the attitude and enjoy your hobby not ride it on drama... as how on EARTH can you enjoy something that involves constant bitching/fighting and upset??
And to end on the flip side of that unpleasant topic..
I have also experienced THANK GOD the side of this wonderful hobby I remembered - some of the stalwarts of the rabbit fancy have remembered me and most welcomed me back with pleasure and all the help with sourcing foundation stock I needed .. I have been able to catch up with old acquaintances and step back into projects I used to be so passionate about .. I have reminisced of times past and how far the Netherland dwarf has come in my 18 yr break - I have been able to feel the enjoyment of seeing colors considered the Cinderellas of the breed so long ago now achieving CCs and BOB on the show bench .. and most importantly for me I have found new friendships who have been so important in my life to talk the ears of a rabbit to ... discuss issues/plans/ideas with ... to banter and fall about laughing with and to know we are there for each other whenever we need it.... you know who you are .. I won't embarrass you by naming (and shaming hahaha) ... but you have made my return the absolute best - I am loving every minute of this frustrating - challenging and ultimately rewarding hobby - and i LOVE my new like minded friends :) xxxxxxxx
Some seem to have forgotten this is a HOBBY - its not just about the winning .. its not just about the breeding challenges or the baby sales ... but its also about friendship ... socialising .. companionship ... education ... encouragement .. helping out ... becoming a mentor for those just starting out who need help ... and sharing..
I have already in my 8 mths back experienced malicious back stabbing tittle tattling that was taken out of context - and I have seen numerous fall outs - nasty comments - abrupt out spoken please or offend Breeders and outright lying and selling of diseased and dud stock in the rabbit community .. its sadly no different from dog and cat breed/show circles either - its not just rabbits... so maybe people should start heading back to grass roots and taking a long hard look at themselves - they were all beginners with nothing but ignorance and a dream to kick them off.. time to dump the attitude and enjoy your hobby not ride it on drama... as how on EARTH can you enjoy something that involves constant bitching/fighting and upset??
And to end on the flip side of that unpleasant topic..
I have also experienced THANK GOD the side of this wonderful hobby I remembered - some of the stalwarts of the rabbit fancy have remembered me and most welcomed me back with pleasure and all the help with sourcing foundation stock I needed .. I have been able to catch up with old acquaintances and step back into projects I used to be so passionate about .. I have reminisced of times past and how far the Netherland dwarf has come in my 18 yr break - I have been able to feel the enjoyment of seeing colors considered the Cinderellas of the breed so long ago now achieving CCs and BOB on the show bench .. and most importantly for me I have found new friendships who have been so important in my life to talk the ears of a rabbit to ... discuss issues/plans/ideas with ... to banter and fall about laughing with and to know we are there for each other whenever we need it.... you know who you are .. I won't embarrass you by naming (and shaming hahaha) ... but you have made my return the absolute best - I am loving every minute of this frustrating - challenging and ultimately rewarding hobby - and i LOVE my new like minded friends :) xxxxxxxx
'BREED LIKE RABBITS'
Whoever thought up that saying obviously never bred Netherland Dwarfs!!
A very popular breed - but MY MY .. not the easiest and certainly one of the most frustrating to work with!
A very popular breed - but MY MY .. not the easiest and certainly one of the most frustrating to work with!
LUTINO ND
Isn't Nature a wonderful thing...
I have been following the Lutino rabbit with great interest due to my passion for all things genetic..
For those of you who don't know its a pink eyed rabbit where the dominant pigment has been diluted to such an extent that it becomes yellow based.. (this gene is found in mice and guineapigs as well) a very intriguing rabbit and one I will continue to follow with huge interest in ND... interestingly around the time the gene appeared in rabbits it also appeared in dogs... notably the Dobermann...
Google it - if you love genetics and challenges as I do you will also be fascinated :)
I have been following the Lutino rabbit with great interest due to my passion for all things genetic..
For those of you who don't know its a pink eyed rabbit where the dominant pigment has been diluted to such an extent that it becomes yellow based.. (this gene is found in mice and guineapigs as well) a very intriguing rabbit and one I will continue to follow with huge interest in ND... interestingly around the time the gene appeared in rabbits it also appeared in dogs... notably the Dobermann...
Google it - if you love genetics and challenges as I do you will also be fascinated :)