Have you tried to evaluate your herd lately? I have.
BRRRR it's not easy when your fingers are about to fall off.
I think one of the important things to remember when you're evaluating who to stay and who to sell is what your herd as a whole looks like. It's easy to get caught up in moving out this one and that one- and the next thing you know, you've culled out your best crowns because of bad HQ, or your best wool because of long ears. You trade one herd prevalent fault for another
This is something I have to keep in mind, especially when I pre-sale woolies and hollands. For instance, soon I'll be without Forest, so I have to evaluate what he brings to the herd and make sure I don't kick out someone with his particular strengths.
Keep in mind- you do NOT have a herd of perfect animals. You just don't. That's what rabbit breeding is about- balancing faults here and faults there and hoping in the end you get something that comes close...and, dare we dream, can throw that near perfection with consistency. Just try to not get so blinded to being slightly undercut that you throw out the baby with the bathwater- it is NOT helpful to keep a herd buck with a nice HQ when he doesn't have the ear length, wool, head, shoulders or depth to ALSO help your herd.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
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3 comments:
Excellent tips Keep!
I keep trying to evaluate but like you said the bitterly cold doesn't make it easy!
Kristen, thanks so much for the reminder. We are just going through our herd again and trying to decide who to sell. Your post had great timing.
Hehe, I must have been reading your mind! :)
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