Is it possible to cross different breeds of rabbits: a table and the best options
Is it possible to cross different breeds of domestic rabbits on my farm? Scientists are breeding new crosses. You can independently cross animals belonging to different breeds. True, you need to know about their compatibility and favorable mating options. It is allowed to cross thoroughbred animals of different types, but it is advisable to follow the recommendations of rabbit breeders.
What are they doing this for?
Rabbits of different breeds are allowed to cross each other. He althy rabbits with excellent immunity are born from such mating.The offspring, which is obtained from different breeds, is called local. If a rabbit breeder practices purebred breeding, he will have to take care to constantly replenish the population with unrelated individuals of the same cross.
Scientists are engaged in selection of new crosses. In farms, crossbreeding of existing breeds is practiced. The hereditary traits of the offspring depend on the females and males involved in mating. Domestic rabbits receive genes from both parents.
Important! It is impossible to randomly cross different breeds. A special compatibility table of various crosses has been developed. Only recommended varieties can be bred with each other. If you ignore the advice of scientists, weak offspring will be born.
Dignity of local rabbits:
- excellent immunity;
- enriched heredity;
- strong constitution;
- intensive growth;
- more weight;
- high productivity.
Local rabbits are less likely to get sick and die. Animals receive hereditary traits from both parents. Animals are born that are better than the original crossed forms. Crossbred rabbits eat less feed, but gain weight faster. Such animals are more enduring and less demanding to keep.
Crossing methods
There are several known ways of mating rabbits. The chosen technique is used, depending on the specific task facing the rabbit breeder. By pairing different original forms, sometimes a new cross is obtained.
Introductory
This mating method has another name - blood rush. This method is used when it is necessary to improve some valuable breed. With this breeding method, they try to preserve the useful qualities of the improved cross.
This method is used if, for example, it is necessary to make rabbits with valuable fur more viable. Females in this case must belong to the main breed. To improve the original form, males with the required qualities are selected.
Absorptive
Transformative (another name for the method) mating is used to gradually improve one variety with the help of another. A similar method of breeding animals is advisable if the breed needs to be left, but significantly improved. There is a successive crossing of hybrids with a breeding male, and the result is offspring with a new, improved set of qualities.
Industrial
This method is used in both large and small farms. Two different breeds are crossed, wanting to get an improved first generation cross exclusively for slaughter.In this case, we are not talking about breeding breeding animals. Get local rabbits from two different parents. Such animals grow quickly, put on weight, eat less and do not get sick. When the animals reach a certain age, they are sent to slaughter.
Variable
With this method, local rabbits are obtained, which in the future are alternately mated with the paternal or maternal parent breed. Adult animals obtained from different crosses are crossed first with one primary form, and then with another. A third breed could be added in the next generation.
This method allows you to get new, more viable and productive rabbits. Sometimes alternating mating results in an entirely new breed. In practice, this method is rarely used.
Factory
This method is also called reproduction.With this method of crossing, a completely new breed is obtained. Households do not use this method. Breeding new crosses engaged in genetic scientists. Two or more thoroughbred individuals participate in the experiment. It turns out a cross with the required qualities and new characteristics.
Chaos
Many novice rabbit breeders mate related animals or buy rabbits of an unknown (conditional) breed for such a procedure in the markets. If the livestock is not diluted with thoroughbred individuals from time to time, it will begin to shrink. For mating, you need to buy animals only in breeding farms. Chaotic crossing sometimes leads to huge losses.
What breeds of rabbits can be crossed with each other
There are dozens of different breed combinations. By crossing certain breeds, it is possible to improve the result in terms of the rate of weight gain and the amount of feed required for keeping animals.You don't need to invent anything yourself. Scientists have already created mating-friendly variants.
Compatibility Chart:
| Females | Male |
| chinchilla | white giant, Viennese blue |
| viennese blue, new zealand, white giant | chinchilla |
| silver | gray giant |
| white giant, black-brown, Viennese blue | California |
| New Zealand | |
| black-brown | |
| white giant | |
| silver |
If you need a quick weight gain, then the best options are white giant males with female chinchillas, boys of the latter with Viennese blue girls.For this purpose, it is allowed to mate gray giant rabbits with silver rabbits. When breeding for meat, it is recommended to cross the following species: silver males with Viennese blue females, chinchilla boys with silver girls.
Important! Chaotic interbreeding of pets is undesirable. For mating, the best representatives of a particular cross are selected. For several females, one breeding male is bought.
A few words about culling
Rabbits should be monitored from the moment they are born. If the animals are lagging behind in weight, sick, inactive, it is better to send them to slaughter after reaching a certain age. Only he althy rabbits are selected for mating. If you do not follow this process, the livestock will degenerate. Animals with external defects, too aggressive, inactive, lethargic, often sick are culled.
It is forbidden to mate animals from the same litter. Rabbits born from relatives are also subject to culling. You can get thoroughbred offspring if you buy a breeding male on a farm.
Possible problems
It is better never to cross such breeds: white giant males with silver or Viennese blue females, silvery boys with white giant girls. It is not recommended to mate Viennese blue rabbits with white giant rabbits and gray giant rabbits with chinchilla rabbits. It turns out that with such a crossing, offspring will be born worse than the original forms. It is better to insure against problems in advance, and do not mate animals of these breeds with each other.
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