Wooly Standard Changes #2

In the interest of being fair to both sides- If you want to hear from folks that support the changes to the wooly standard, check out the Jersey Wooly group on Yahoo Groups!

Otherwise, check out the statement from Marcia, found here.

I have sent in my ballot. I continue to urge people to vote NO on the points changes, at the very least.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Uglies

Oh wow. I've completely forgotten how UGLY babies can get! My three Barbi babies are suffering from long everything right now :lol:. I finally got them sexed- the black and broken black tort look like does, the broken black looks like a buck!

I got my first impression on the bodies of Godzilla, Shelby and Sylva, my oldest wooly baby does. I'm REALLY liking the width on Godzilla's body! Her head and ears are very promising and she's got a gorgeous color and coat. Unfortunately, I think she's lacking in the lower HQ. We'll have to see how she develops. Shelby is a beautiful doe all around, with the exception of her ears right now- they are a touch long for my taste, but again, uglies! Her sister Sylva is a bit smaller than Shelby and also is looking very promising- she is definitely going to be much smaller than the other two girls.

Thankfully, I will have some cage space, so I won't be making any decisions just yet on who goes and who stays- especially with the hollands!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Proposed Changes to the Wooly Standard

I got a ballot in the mail today, asking me to vote on the proposed changes to the Jersey Wooly Standard.

I have to say, there are several I agree with- the wording about the Chinchilla coloring is contradictory.

I agree with allowing juniors to have a softer coat than a senior, under the Density change. Judges do seem to expect perfect adult coats on 3 month olds.

I'm a bit concerned over the change to ear description where a severe fault is ears "carried in a wide V". Tryon is a very nice animal, but when he's extremely nervous he does tend to splay his ears. My concern would be the "Holland syndrome" where 95% of judges don't give hollands (or in this case, woolies) the chance to relax and allow their ears to return to a more natural pose.

I'm also concerned about the proposed points change- it removes 1 point from Texture and 4 points from density (HALF!), to add points to head and ears. Are we going to become a breed that values a big head over quality wool? They are WOOLIES after all. In this new points system, COLOR is worth more than both Density AND Length to the wool! I don't know if the 5 point change is worth it, to have the quality of wool go down in favor of head and ears.

By the way, what is the worry over the heads? Are we trying to prevent them from becoming Netherland Dwarf heads, or trying to make them become that way?

The reason given to this change is to "emphasize the need for the proper coat texture." Hm- how does reducing texture points emphasize the need for correct texture?

I just fail to understand.

I'm planning on voting AGAINST the changes to point allocation and against the changes to the ear description.

Please check Susie of Wooly World Rabbitry's blog to see her views.



-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Genetic Blank Slate

I have a friend that is a very successful mini lop breeder. He was telling me about a doe he has- a beautiful doe, but she produces what she's bred to- which can be good or bad. For all intents and purposes, she's a genetic blank slate!

This girl was bred to a buck that matched her faults perfectly- he needed a bit wider head and a fuller HQ, she could give the babies these things. The babies that were born- ICK! They all had weenie heads and bad HQ.

When bred to a *VERY* nice buck, she threw *VERY* nice babies! She continued throughout her breeding career only producing what she was bred to.

Isn't it interesting? I often sit around and wish for a blank slate doe. How I'd LOVE to be able to pretty much replicate several of my bucks. However- I wouldn't be able to improve those nagging little imperfections the bucks have. I guess that makes it a doubled edged sword.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

No babies, no problems

Hard on the heels of losing Secret Chance, I went out today to discover my favorite Barbi baby was dead. It's heart breaking, not just because he was a very promising little guy, but also because he was so sweet and such a little clown.

As Tim says "We didn't have babies dying when we weren't getting any babies :(". I have to agree. I just have to keep reminding myself that what happened with Chance and this little guy are part of it.

We do everything we can to keep all the rabbits healthy, from babies born that day to the retirees. Sometimes nothing can be done. It all seems to pile on at once though.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Show Tragedy

I bought a gorgeous REW doe from Marlee when she sold out- TB's Secret Chance. I hadn't been able to get a litter out of her, so I decided to take her to the show, breed her to Burlington, who Joni owns, and maybe put a leg or two on her!

We went down Friday and stayed with Brandi (blpiper) and her family, put the rabbits in empty cages they had, watered and fed (oats mixed with our feed, per usual.)

Got up the next morning and started pulling the rabbits out of the cages to put them in carriers- Chance was COVERED in liquid diarrhea. I took her out and put her on the dewy grass, she didn't move. We cleaned her up as best we could, but she pooped while Tim was holding her and water basically ran out. I knew she wasn't going to make it.

We put her in a cage with a ton of hay, more water and a full cup of oats, courtesy of Pete, Brandi's husband.

When we got back from the show, she was dead. :(

The up part of the day was my Belgian Hare buck won a BOB for his first leg and a BOSB, and Forest won BOSB again. A young sr. buck, Durham, took 2/7 in his class, that was exciting.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry

Breeder Directory-

There is a new Breeder Directory in town! April of DenJak Rabbitry has compiled the DenJak Breeder Directory. Check it out and be sure to get listed!

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry