Hi all,
Father-to-daughter & Mother-to-son breeding is also known as Linebreeding.
This is an accepted practice in the rabbit world, IF it is done once before putting the resultant offspring back out to a lesser related rabbit to prevent too closely inbred problems which can arise from this method of breeding if used incorrectly or with any rabbit that is used that has genetic problems.
Linebreeding is used primarily to FIX a desired quality that two related individuals may have that the owner would like to re create.
As has been said, however, Linebreeding also FIXES bad traits as much as the good ones....which is why it must only be done by somebody who is experienced enough to know that the two related adults put together do not have any genetic impediments that would be passes out into the young (which would obviously be irresponsible if it were the case!).
Bear in mind that if any responsible show breeder is doing this they hopefully would have a good idea of the background/parentage of their rabbits & so in a more knowledgable position to do so.
NO rabbit would or should be used (by a responsible breeder) that posesses any potential genetic condition in ANY part of the breeding programme. Sad or not, if any are found to have these problems they are eliminated from the general picture, more often than not culled, so that those with the problem cannot be replicated elsewhere with the lack of knowledge there unfortunately is of rabbits.
If we are talking more in terms of the pet trade breeder, however, the motives & outcomes are very different.
Because maximum production is of great importance, it is of little concern to the owner if the rabbits are left to run in colonies, with mating occurring at random between different rabbits usually littermates & post-partum matings (back-to-back breeding) which means they are continually pregnant whilst already suckling their existing young.
Yes this produces weaker babies, but it also produces MORE babies this way, which is obviously no big deal to traders who have need to supply small, but cute & young-looking babies in large quantity. They don't need to sit in the pet shop too long usually before the customer pays their money & takes the chance as to how far down the line they will actually get! :shock:
(Also as they often accomodate large numbers in smaller spaces or running together, stress-related diseases such as Pasteurella runs rife)
Often these traders will buy up stock from markets & any place where they will not have to pay much....they do not know the background of these rabbits, nor do they really care!. All it takes is one rabbit with the gene for malocclusion (one example) & you have a whole breeding programme full of 'em after several generations. Hence what we see at pet shops.
(what happens then? when Joe Bloggs goes to the pet store that have the baby rabbits produced by the above scenario & buys a pair of rabbits thought to be same sex but actually turns out to be boy/girl, after having an accidental litter or two & the babies are carrying the genes for malocclusion, etc??the problem continues.....)
As far as breeding is concerned, the ONLY breeding IMO, that should be commended is for the betterment & enrichment of a breed, say in an exhibition scenario, where there are standards to follow (ie they can't just make it up as they go along!) & health considerations are of prime importance in order to do so.
Linebreeding & other such types of breeding, such as outcrossing, have their own importance in the preservation of a breed BUT must be left to the experts who have nothing but the resultant rabbits' wellbeing at heart & know what they are doing.
