A couple years ago we purchased 3 floppy eared rabbits for a photoshoot. I had homes lined up for them afterwards. Well it only took a day to realize how much we really enjoyed rabbits. We had some trials and sad times with them but that only made us realize that we were hooked and wanted to begin raising them. So we studied the breeds and we chose Holland Lop as our breed of choice.
When we finally got a decent pair of Hollands we were aiming to breed for show and standard. I know many breeders breed year round but for us, we breed for Fall shows and for Spring shows. It seems like a logical thing to do being that the ads are overflowing with Hollands especially. When we decide on a breeding, it was a selected process to further our show program. I am often annoyed at the breeders who are merrily breeding away just for money. They breed for the sole purpose of selling the entire litter, with no intention of furthering their program. They boast of how much they love the breed but at the same time they exploit them. I feel you shouldn't breed them unless there is something you personally want out of that breeding. If you are breeding to accomodate a waiting list, completely wrong reason. I also find it offensive when I see websites where the breeder says they are keeping the first sable point doe they get, or keeping a buck out of a litter. For me these are red flags that the breeder is not in this for the quality of the breed. When we are expecting a litter we are in high hopes of a few of the babies to become show worthy. We don't care if it is a doe, or a buck and we surely are not holding out for a certain color. Number one, it should always be about type. If you end up with a sable point, but it is not typey then you should not want to keep it. Even if it is the first one you have ever produced. I also think it is important to exercise restraint. That is truly easier said than done. Baby bunnies are irresistible. And I must say, sable point babies melt my heart. I am dying for more. But we are almost at the end of spring breedings and probably won't redo a sable breeding until Fall. By then, that will mean we have only produced one sable baby in 2 years. I wish more breeders would just take their time and think it out. It's not a mad race to breed as many babies as possible. Use some common sense, set some goals and work at them. Work at them for your Rabbitry, not for a big show and tell every month. Respect the breed enough to not over breed.
When we finally got a decent pair of Hollands we were aiming to breed for show and standard. I know many breeders breed year round but for us, we breed for Fall shows and for Spring shows. It seems like a logical thing to do being that the ads are overflowing with Hollands especially. When we decide on a breeding, it was a selected process to further our show program. I am often annoyed at the breeders who are merrily breeding away just for money. They breed for the sole purpose of selling the entire litter, with no intention of furthering their program. They boast of how much they love the breed but at the same time they exploit them. I feel you shouldn't breed them unless there is something you personally want out of that breeding. If you are breeding to accomodate a waiting list, completely wrong reason. I also find it offensive when I see websites where the breeder says they are keeping the first sable point doe they get, or keeping a buck out of a litter. For me these are red flags that the breeder is not in this for the quality of the breed. When we are expecting a litter we are in high hopes of a few of the babies to become show worthy. We don't care if it is a doe, or a buck and we surely are not holding out for a certain color. Number one, it should always be about type. If you end up with a sable point, but it is not typey then you should not want to keep it. Even if it is the first one you have ever produced. I also think it is important to exercise restraint. That is truly easier said than done. Baby bunnies are irresistible. And I must say, sable point babies melt my heart. I am dying for more. But we are almost at the end of spring breedings and probably won't redo a sable breeding until Fall. By then, that will mean we have only produced one sable baby in 2 years. I wish more breeders would just take their time and think it out. It's not a mad race to breed as many babies as possible. Use some common sense, set some goals and work at them. Work at them for your Rabbitry, not for a big show and tell every month. Respect the breed enough to not over breed.
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