How many breeds have you had?

I've been raising rabbits since 2006, and have re-started my herd about 4 times. Yes, that's right, 4 times! Why you may ask, because I improved in my understanding of what the Standard of Perfection was calling for! I started with Polish and Hollands, I sold out of the Hollands because I didn't like what I had. Got American Fuzzy Lops with the Polish, sold out of the Polish because I couldn't find the quality I wanted in my area. I got Holland Lops again, and got a Jersey Wooly to play with because I missed the up ears in my barn. I sold out of the American Fuzzy Lops because I had to put down my herd buck, and couldn't do it anymore. I bought a quad of Woolies to replace the fuzzes. Where did the Hollands go you might ask, they are being sold at this time to make room to go all Wooly.

Wow! It looks worse when I type it out like that. Do I love the Polish, yes, would I ever get back into them, yes, anytime soon, no. The Hollands are my dirty pleasure, I love a really nice Holland, so why sell out. I cannot do them, we just aren't meant to be; I won't breed them again for a while, I won't say never though. American Fuzzy Lops, nothing beats the big chunk factor and add wool and I am in heaven! But, the consistency isn't there, and I don't have the room to get them to where I want. Finally, the Woolers, ah those cute little ears, the smokin' hot bods, and those chunky faces! I think I may have found my heart breed here.

Dude, why not just stick with a breed and work on it? Well, it's MY hobby, so I do it MY way, and if I don't see myself with the breed 10 years down the road, I don't keep them. For me a "heart" breed is the breed that you can see yourself with forever, and could never not have. It's a breed I can see myself working with and possibly pulling a COD out on a color, winning at the national level, or attempting to attain that status.

It's all about starting with the best quality you can afford and find. Keeping with only a few compatible lines from only a few sources. Not picking pieces here and there and hoping they will cross. I keep emphasizing this, but I need to get this across for the newer first starting out breeders! Don't just think the big time breeders are blowing hot air, it's true! I think that may be why I went through all those breeds before settling on the Woolies, I actually did what they tell you to do! Related lines from only a few source, 2 breeders, from 3 lines; and you can see the quality.

I'm reminiscing because PaSRBA Conevention, one of the largest shows on the east coast (to my knowledge), is coming up! It's the "start" of my showing career, I did not show in it, but took in the awe my first year with rabbits. I consider it my beginning and bench mark. I would love to get to the point that I can constantly place well at this show, and the past years haven't let me down yet. I am very excited for this show, but am more excited for the January 23 in Mocksville, NC. I'm picking up my new Jersey Woolies that are coming from California. I love road trips, and showing in the south is just like coming home, they welcome you with open arms and embrace you into their show world. Yes, I am south of the Mason-Dixon line, I'm not a Yankee, but you go past Richmond, VA and something amazing happens, Southern Hospitality kicks in.

Until next time,

Kelsey Nelson

KN Rabbitry

What lines did you start with...?

I purchased Evans Rabbit Register Deluxe Edition last night, and was able to install it that night within an hour. As I entered in pedigrees of my current woolies, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of times certain rabbits appeared in all of my pedigrees.

I have to admit, I like certain wooly lines better than others. Who doesn’t have their favorite lines? Wooligans, Caudills, White Oaks, Erbs; I enjoy going onto their websites and drooling over their beautiful rabbits. While some are nationally competitive lines (Brian Caudill won Best Display at convention), this doesn’t mean I ignore more local lines. One of my favorite breeders is Kristen Drum of Keep’s Rabbitry.

Not only are her woolies drop dead gorgeous, they came from the lines I love, and she breeds for the type of wooly that I consider to be what the Standard of Perfection calls for. She has been competitive nationally, placing rabbits in the top 5 at both the 2008 ARBA convention and last years nationals. Kristen Drum is still working on establishing herself as one of the “big dogs” in the breed, but she is well on her way!

Sure you are supposed to judge a rabbit on what they look like, not their pedigree. But if you want to be competitive, you want to not only start with the best quality you can afford, you want to start with lines that mesh well together and only get rabbits from a couple of breeders. Completely outcrossing won’t results in winners consistently, and that is what you are wanting to breed for, a consistent look and quality.

I have had the opportunity to purchase many wonderful animals from a breeder who is drastically cutting down, rabbits that might not have been available were, and I was able to purchase those who I felt would benefit my herd the most. For my herd, this was a great choice because her stock is from similar lines to my current stock! I am able to take the work of an already established breeder and put it to use in my own breeding program.

Though I may only be working on my first generation of my own line, I am comforted by the fact I will be able to quickly see what parts I am lacking. I can take leaps rather than steps when it comes to improving my herd because I did start with stock that will cross well together and won't be completely outcrossing.

Until next time,

Kelsey Nelson

KN Rabbitry

2010 Goals

It's been a long time, but I figure new year, new start! I cannot believe a new decade is upon us, and I have a feeling that this will be a great year. 2009 has gone down in my books as the worst year ever for myself and my family, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

With a new year come goals, or resolutions. As a rabbit breeder I set goals that I want to meet by the end of the year. While I have personal resolutions that I am going to do, these goals for my barn are important to me, and I figure I might as well post them!

I want to not only Grand out a Jersey Wooly (homebred, purchased, whatever), but I also want to get a leg on a homebred Jersey Wooly, and a BOB with a homebred would be nice too. I want to get a leg in Open competition, which of course I need to do on a more regular basis starting in August, because I age out of youth!

I wold like to earn 1000 sweepstakes points. I do not mean be listed in the sweepstakes, or even place well in my district, I just want to earn those points! Because of how the NJWRC does their year, I would have have about 5 months of showing before the year ends. So while I will be joining in August, I want to make it my goal to earn these points and count them myself.

While winning is nice and all, if I want to be ready for open competition, I need to breed, breed, breed and then cull twice as hard. So my plan is to have lots more breedings and culling twice as hard. I'm a softy, but I know I need to do this to improve. This means learning how to palpate! Yes, I do not know how to do this, but I want and need to learn how.

I have a "project" of sorts, and while I am not ready to reveal what it is, I want to get carriers of this project well established so I can be producing the phenotypes of this color popping up more. By the end of the year I want to have at least 3 homebreds in this particular color, and well on my way to have all my colors in this particular group being carriers.

I want to internalize the Jersey Wooly standard, meaning I want to be able to know the point values of the different parts of the rabbit, and what a really good wooly is. This means that I know a bad wooly from a good wooly without looking at it, but by feeling. With focusing on one breed, it'll help to me more competitive.

Wow, that's a lot to accomplish in a year! But, I am working on them all, and as I accomplish these goals, I'll let you all know. I'm already on my way towards breeding more, with every doe in my barn being breed, some are still expecting while others are being rebred because they missed. As soon as I get litters, the culling will begin. I hope everyone had a great holiday and that we all are looking forward to this new year and decade!

Until next time,

Kelsey Nelson

KN Rabbitry