Agouti and pure black, tan and spotted colors are all examples of the action of a specific set of genes. The article briefly discusses the main points of color genetics that every rabbit breeder needs to know.
Genetics is what we try to manipulate when trying to create a new breed or improve an existing one. This is the internal program of the rabbit, because of which it looks the way it does. Let's look at how the mechanism of inheritance of traits works.
Genes and chromosomes
Sets of genes that give certain characteristics are located in long DNA molecules - chromosomes. In each of them, genes are located in specific locations called loci. Some loci may carry several types of genes, while others may carry only one. Each chromosome is associated with another sequence of the same type, with genes located at the same loci.
Chromosomes and genes always exist in pairs; there are 22 different pairs of chromosomes in each cell of the body. The only exceptions are germ cells and red blood cells.
The same locus on each paired chromosome controls the same trait. In other words, each trait requires a pair of genes to manifest.
Some genes are completely identical to their pair and are called homozygous . Others are different from each other and are called heterozygous .
Preventive actions
The basis for preventing the occurrence of pathological molting in rabbits is vaccination. This is especially true for lichen, which most often affects eared animals. Veterinarians use 2 drugs for this:
- Vakderm vaccination – prevents the development of dermatophytosis;
- Microderm vaccine - the purpose is identical, but differs in a live lyophilized form.
There are Vakderm TM and F products, but their use in rabbit breeding is prohibited.
To prevent the animal from forming a fur ball when shedding, experts recommend using the following preventive measures:
- starting from 4 months of age, introduce 1 prune into the diet 4 times a month;
- from the very beginning of shedding, give 3 ml of petroleum jelly every day, once a day;
- Buy a special paste for hair removal at the veterinary pharmacy, for example, Gimpet malt-soft, Gimbi Nager-Malt Paste, etc.
Do not forget about the conditions of detention, the purity of water and the quality of food, which determine the degree of infection by bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Shedding in rabbits occurs for physiological and pathological reasons; it is difficult to get rid of it, since natural processes take time and the cause of the disease must be eliminated. If you strictly follow all the recommendations, you will make life much easier for your pets during their coat renewal.
0
0
Copy link
Genes in reproduction
In the germ cells - the egg and the sperm - there is only one chromosome from a pair. When the egg is fertilized, these single chromosomes are united, and a full pair is formed again. So it turns out that in the new organism one chromosome is represented from the father, and the other from the mother. Their external manifestation in a baby rabbit depends on the dominance relationships of these genes, as well as on the action of other genes or modifiers.
Causes of hair loss
There are two types of reasons why rabbits lose hair:
The physiological reason includes molting - a natural and necessary process for the normal functioning of animals. Pathological causes are diseases whose side effect is hair loss.
It is not difficult to distinguish natural shedding from a serious disease. With the natural change of coat after hair loss, new thick and healthy hair begins to emerge after a short time. If new hair does not grow back and a bald spot remains, then this is a reason to contact a veterinarian.
Genetics and color
Color genes are responsible for the pattern of tones and coat color, as well as eye color.
A rabbit's fur coat is colored with only two pigments - yellow and dark brown. Their combination gives all the variety of other colors.
The lack of pigments results in albinos, or pure white rabbits with red eyes. Pigments can appear to varying degrees on the same or different hairs, in certain color patterns.
For example, in rabbits with long hair (Angora) the color is “diluted”. This happens because the pigment granules, which are found in any hair in the same amount, are stretched over its entire length and are further apart from each other.
Accordingly, short-haired rabbits have a richer, darker tone.
Color genes can be divided into two groups. The first is the color model or color scheme - Agouti, Tan or plain. The second group includes color genes; they affect the location and intensity of the appearance of color pigments on the hair.
There are 11 color genes known today: A, B, C, D, E, En, Du, Si, V, W, and P, which have recessive forms indicated by small letters.
In addition to them, there are also modifiers that can affect the degree of manifestation of a particular gene or several genes. These include color modifiers, intensity modifiers, and others.
Jersey Woolie - long hair on the body is lighter than short hair on the face
To correctly understand the principles of obtaining a particular color of a rabbit fur coat, it is important to understand the following.
An individual homozygous for color genes has the same genes in a pair, for example AA, at-at, aa, BB, bb, CC.
When crossing a pair of homozygous individuals with the same genes, the brood will be identical to the parents and 100% homogeneous.
AA x AA = AA (100%), at-at x at-at = at-at (100%), BB x BB = BB (100%).
When crossing a homozygous individual with a dominant gene and a homozygous individual with a recessive form of the same gene, we will obtain a 100% litter of heterozygous individuals, where the dominant gene will suppress the recessive one.
AA x aa = Aa (100%), BB x bb = Bb (100%)
An individual heterozygous for color genes has different genes in a pair, for example A-at, Aa, at-a, Bb, Cc, cchd-cchl, cchd-ch, cchd-c.
If you cross two heterozygous individuals or one heterozygous with one homozygous, you will get a brood with heterozygous and homozygous individuals in different percentages.
History of the appearance of the Flanders breed
Bred back in the 18th-19th century as a result of breeding work, it is still the subject of debate among scientists about the first country in which it appeared. Argentina? Germany? France? Or Belgium?
According to some versions, Flanders rabbits are descendants of their Patagonian counterparts, brought from Argentina in the 16-17th century by Dutch sailors, and received their name in honor of the Belgian province of Flanders.
Perhaps the handsome giants are descendants of a vanished large breed that lived in Patagonia, a charming region whose indigenous inhabitants were distinguished by their enormous stature. There is also a version that Flanders rabbits appeared as a result of crossing large Flemish individuals with large Argentinean breeds.
In any case, Flanders are the favorites of Americans (and not only), as well as the founders of many other breeds (German, Belgian, Spanish, French ram, etc.).
Main color genes
Color scheme group "A" (A/at/a)
The color scheme or pattern gene controls the appearance of color on the coat of different parts of the body.
- A = agouti
- at = tan
- a = plain
Agouti
Agouti is the main color of rabbits and is often called the dominant gene A , which predominates over the recessive at and a . The combination of AA , Aat , Aa gives the Agouti color scheme, which is called the hare color or “wild”. This is an amazing example of the play of color in an original, natural form. The main hare-colored wool fibers are interspersed with dark hairs, which gives an attractive “ticking” effect.
The base of the hair is dark from the root, then it is covered with several stripes of brown, yellow or grayish-white color, which are clearly visible if you blow on the hair. The agouti rabbit has a light cream or white belly, chin, lower legs and tail. In addition, there is a black edging on the ears, white fur around the eyes and nostrils, and the inside of the ears is light.
According to this scheme, many colors are formed, for example: chestnut, opal, orange, lynx, chinchilla and others.
Tang
The Tang pattern will appear in the case of the combination atat or ata .
Tan (Otter) is easily recognized by the combination of contrasting colors: the main solid color, often dark, and the light color of the lower part of the body. The main color is black, blue, sable, tortoiseshell, lilac. The lower part of the body from the chin through the belly to the tail is white, cream or orange. Unlike agouti colors, there is no ticking here.
The inside of the ears, the fur around the nose and eyes in full-colored (black or chocolate) individuals is red, in bleached (blue or lilac) individuals it is light orange.
Possible colors are tan, silver marten, sable marten, tortoiseshell otter and others.
If the breeder does not know the genotype of the Agouti or Tan rabbit's parents, it is impossible to accurately determine which second gene is in the rabbit without a special test cross.
Plain
A monochromatic color can only be formed by a combination of aa , and such rabbits are colored the same all over the body, and along all the hairs, right down to the skin. These include common simple uniform colors: blue, black, chocolate, fawn, lilac.
Dutch Ram, Agouti
Read more about the formation of color schemes under the influence of series A , as well as about the options for obtaining the colors of the offspring when mating individuals with different genotypes, read in this article. The material contains photos of colors and practical examples.
Color group "B" (B/b)
Here the situation is a little simpler. There are two possible variations - the dominant gene B , representing the black color and the recessive gene B - chocolate. Since there are only two options, all breeds belong to one of the groups - black or chocolate.
- B = black
- b = chocolate
The black group, of course, is not limited to black tone; it also includes blue, blue and black tortoiseshell, pointed sable, chinchilla, smoky pearl and others.
The chocolate group includes, among others, chocolate, lilac and lynx.
The black color group is obtained in one of two combinations - BB or Bb . If a rabbit's pedigree does not show chocolate, it is safe to assume that this individual has the BB . It is impossible for chocolate rabbits to have gene B , which would dominate the weaker recessive gene b and suppress it, showing a black tone.
Read the article about the action of series B at this link. In the material you will find photographs of rabbits of different colors and examples of crossings.
Dutch Ram, lynx
Color concentration group C (C, cchd, cchl, ch, c)
The color control gene group C determines where and in what concentration the color will appear, not what color it will be. This group includes:
- C = full color
- cchd = dark chinchilla
- cchl = light chinchilla
- ch = Himalayan
- cc = albino
The dominant full color gene is conveyed by the capital letter C. It is possessed by bright rabbits with rich colors - black, orange, brown, blue.
The next gene in order of dominance is cchd , or dark chinchilla, this gene causes chinchilla and squirrel colors.
Light chinchilla cchl - gives smoky pearl and sable pointing.
Rabbits with the ch are characterized by the Himalayan color.
Rabbits with two recessive cc are albino (colorless).
As we can see, in the order of gene dominance from top to bottom, the concentration of color in each of the subgroups decreases - from richly colored individuals to albinos without any pigment.
Learn more about the influence of series C , as well as the results of crosses collected in tables, from this article. There you will also find photos of different colors and practical examples.
Mini Ram, smoky pearl
Color weakening gene D (D, d)
D gene comes from “dilution” - dilution, weakening. Indicates the intensity of the tone: diluted black - blue; diluted brown - lilac. Unlike other color genes, which affect coat and eye color, D also affects skin pigmentation.
- D = full color
- d = diluted color
This is how the effect of the gene on the black-brown pair manifests itself.
– B- – D- – = black (where the dash indicates the gene locations A, C, and E) – B- – dd – = blue – bb – D- – = chocolate – bb – dd – = purple
a detailed article about the D here. The material contains practical examples of crossings and a selection of photos of different color options.
Mini Ram, purple
Color level group E (Ed, Es, E, ej, e)
The genes of this group influence whether the main color will color the entire hair from root to tip or whether it will be limited to only part of the hair, and then another will take its place.
- Ed = dominant black
- Es = steel
- E = regular base color level
- ej = Japanese stripe
- e = restrictor gene
Ed gene makes the agouti completely black. In this regard, such a gene can only be valid in individuals with a stable color of one color (solid color). It is quite rare.
Es gene surprisingly dominates the natural E gene and causes the dark undercoat and ticking of the hair tips. Examples: black steel, steel ticked with gold, chinchilla ticked with steel and other complex and very beautiful colors.
The regular (normal) level E allows the coat to look natural without affecting the basic tone in any way.
The Japanese stripe gene ej acts spontaneously to produce color in different parts of the body. This gene is responsible for the appearance of Harlequins and other tricolor colors. On agouti dyeing, it allows the dark brown and yellow pigments to appear in different places, instead of dyeing one hair (like a mosaic). Note that the Japanese gene will only appear in the combination ejej or eje . If there is a dominant E , it will be hidden.
The incomplete expansion gene e gives the solid color a shaded appearance. In this case, the shorter hairs on the belly, legs, and muzzle will receive only the main tone (they are not long enough to be dyed with another color, which will complete the coloring of the long hairs). On agouti ( A- ), this gene will eliminate dark tips, which is necessary for the appearance of red and cream tones. Examples of the action of the e : pointed sable or orange.
Learn more about the work of the E , as well as the results of crosses presented in the tables from this article. There you will also find photos and practical examples.
Mini Ram, color blue with golden ticking, Es gene
We looked at 5 groups of color genes. The following briefly describes the 6 groups of marking genes. Please note that many of them are recessive.
Group of English Spotted En
The white markings or white spotting under the influence of modifiers may narrow to appearing white only on the chest or chin, or cover almost the entire body, as in the Hotots.
It exists in two variations - dominant En and recessive en .
In the presence of a dominant En , spotting occurs. If two recessive genes ( enen ) are present – normal color, no white spots.
in detail about the action of genes of the En group, about the formation of spotted colors when crossing rabbits, as well as about the “Charlie” variation at this link.
Dutch pattern group Du (Du, dud, duw)
If the Du , the Dutch spotted color is absent; the Dudu gives an “incorrect” Dutch color, with randomly located single spots.
Dutch color scheme dark du d. At the same time, against a dark general background, the triangle on the muzzle, the belt around the body, and the hind legs are white. For example, the Danish (Dutch) breed.
Dutch color scheme white du w. Pure white body, usually a different color is present only on the muzzle or lower part of the rump. Example - Dwarf Hotots.
Vienna color group V (V, v)
If two dominant genes ( VV ) are present, the color scheme does not appear.
In the case of the Vv - white spots, like the Danish rabbit.
The presence of two recessive genes ( vv ) – pure white color with blue eyes.
Silver color group Si (Si, si)
Si gene - no effect on color, normal color.
The presence of the recessive gene si - provides silver-white ticked hair or completely silver-white guard hairs mixed with the normally colored coat. Examples - a magnificent group of breeds of silver rabbits - Silver Champagne, Silver, Silver Marten.
Silver Marten, blue color
Wideband group W (W, w)
If the W (normal width) is present - normal coloring, the middle yellow or white stripes of the hair remain in the same form. Examples of colors: Agouti, chinchilla.
Wideband color scheme w - allows you to double the width of the middle white or yellow stripe. This, in turn, colors parts of the body that are normally associated with the agouti color scheme (triangles, circles around the eyes, belly) in the main color of the breed. New Zealand red, Trianta.
Mutation group P (P, p)
Dominant gene P – no mutations, normal color.
Recessive gene p - a mutation is present, the amount of dark brown pigment is reduced, colors the eyes pink. Lutinos (yellow individuals with pink eyes).
Gene modifiers
Plus/Minus Modifiers
Affects genes En , Du , and V. The more plus modifiers a rabbit has, the more spots or color schemes will appear. The more minus modifiers, the less pronounced the spots and color scheme will be. This is exactly what breeders manipulate when trying to get the right amount of spots on an English Spotted or the rich coloring of a Dutch rabbit.
Rufus modifiers (red modifiers)
They help produce tan or Tan coloration, as well as a red undercoat. Such modifiers add or subtract from the deep, rich red color.
Tan, chocolate color
Color intensifiers
These modifiers can either make the coat darker or give it a light, diluted shade.
Fur structure genes
Let's take a brief look at the genes responsible for the quality (and presence) of fur. All of them are recessive, with the exception of the lion's head gene.
F Fur presence group F = normal fur f = no fur
L Long hair group L = normal fur l = long hair (Angora)
R Group Rex R = normal fur r
= rex
Sa Group Satin Sa = normal fur sa = satin
Wa Wavy fur group Wa = normal fur wa = wavy fur
M Mane group (dominant gene) M = mane (lion head) m = normal fur (no mane)
Rabbit colors
Agouti group
Colors of rabbits with zonal hair. Characteristic of the colors of rabbits found in the wild.
Steel
The surface color is uniform black and gray. The entire body of the animal is covered with light gray spinous hair. Wedge in the back of the head[. ]
Deilenar
The surface color is bright reddish brown and extends down the sides. On the back there is stronger shading formed by black tips[. ]
Arctic fox (black guard)
The surface color is white, slightly covered with a gray tint of medium intensity, this tint is caused by the dark ends of the hair, which are evenly [. ]
Blue chinchilla (squirrel)
The covering color looks like ash-gray with a bluish tint covered with a blue veil. The veil is most pronounced on[. ]
Chinchilla
The covering color looks like ash-gray with a bluish tint covered with a black veil. The veil is most pronounced [. ]
The color is light gray-blue with a silvery sheen on the surface of the body and a brownish-red tint in the intermediate zone of the hair. ]
Excessive shedding
If your rabbit's hair loss is severe and constant, and permanent bald patches appear on its body, change its diet and limit excess food in your pet's diet.
Excessive hair in rabbits can also be a result of frequent food changes. Pick one food and try not to change it to quickly figure out what is causing your health problem.
It is possible that the dwarf rabbit sheds a lot due to excess protein in the feed. Check the composition of the rabbit food, 15-16% protein is enough.
Another reason for excessive shedding is the age of the rabbit. The older the animal, the more intense the shedding will be.
Colored dwarf reviews from owners
I wouldn’t have gotten a rabbit myself, I wouldn’t have even thought about it, but my brother gave me this little miracle. At first I was afraid that they wouldn’t get along with the cat, but to my surprise they have been living together for three months now. It is easy to feed the rabbit hay, food, carrots, apples, he loves everything. She even loves cabbage, but I read that it’s better not to give it.
Despite the presence of disadvantages (he chews plants, wooden furniture and wallpaper, I have not yet been able to wean him off), the rabbit still became my favorite. He goes to the toilet in a designated place, but sometimes he manages to shit himself somewhere in the corner. Therefore, I only let him out of the cage when I can keep an eye on him. Anastasia
I was given a rabbit for New Year, about 5 years ago. Then he was tiny, or rather she was a white, beautiful girl. Even then you couldn’t get bored with her; she was active, playful, curious and very nimble. But a coward is afraid of strangers. There were no problems with litter box training; the principle is similar to training cats.
Her diet varies; when I have time, I buy ingredients for food at the market, and when I don’t, I buy ready-made food from the pet store. For greens, she loves green salad and carrots. He never refuses hay either. In addition to feeding, it is important to monitor the water; now my little rabbit drinks a whole water bottle in a day. When I'm at home she walks freely around the apartment, at other times she's locked in a cage.
Rabbits of this breed are playful, mine is definitely so. But we must remember about sharp teeth and claws; if you pester her when she doesn’t want to, you can get back in the form of scratches. Rabbits also like to chew wires, papers and things, so all this should be in inaccessible places. And lastly, these are not the quietest pets, if you are sensitive to noise at night, it is probably better not to get a rabbit. Svetlana
Productive qualities
Rabbits of this breed are famous for their meat productivity. They are quite early in maturity and at the age of 3 months they reach a weight of 2 kg, and at six months they weigh about 5 kg. Slaughter yield is about 60%. Rabbit breeders note the high taste characteristics of Ram meat.
The skins of these rabbits are also in great demand. From one carcass of a medium-sized rabbit, you can get a skin up to 70 cm long. They are usually used for making fur products.
Varieties of crossing techniques
Crossing rabbits is not a monotonous process at all, as people far from farming might imagine. What matters is both the procedure itself and the choice of two animals - a male and a female. The quality of the offspring will depend on this, which is the growth rate of the individual and its weight. In addition, the baby rabbit is endowed with fur, which also has a price. But it is not difficult to benefit from all these breeding features only if certain conditions are met. And the first such condition is the use of certain types of crossbreeding as necessary.
Keeping sheep for industrial breeding
Cages or enclosures for these animals must be made very large, as they need to move. It is better to attach drinking bowls to the wall, and make feeders remote. The bottom should preferably be fine-mesh so that excrement and food debris can freely fall into the bottom pan; it should be cleaned daily. In summer it is advisable to keep them outdoors, but in the shade.
For the winter period, these rather heat-loving animals (optimum temperature +18+20 C) are transferred to greenhouses. It is better to make it from cellular polycarbonate, since this material transmits light well, which is necessary for rams.
During frosty conditions, the premises in which rabbits are kept must be additionally heated.
Large soft sawdust or pieces of paper without printing ink are used as flooring; these animals love to dig.
Feeding
Ram rabbits need at least two meals a day, and young animals need to be fed more often.
Recommended diet:
- Hay and dried fresh grass.
- Branch food.
- Vegetables and fruits in the form of pieces are given as a treat 2-3 times a week.
- Ready-made industrial feed is included in the diet twice a day, 60 g per 1 kg of live weight.
- Grains (wheat, barley and oats).
Clean water in drinking bowls is renewed daily. Chalk and sharpening stones should also be in the cages at all times.
06:56
My evening feeding of the rabbits. What to feed a rabbit. Rabbits of the French ram breed.
08:17
The cheapest way to feed Rabbits!!!
This breed is prone to overeating, so the diet must be well balanced, but not allow the animals to become overweight.
Most of the diet should be grass, hay and concentrated feed.
Herbs that are good for ram-rabbits are clover, burdock, quinoa, plantain, and dandelion. It is unacceptable for datura, milkweed, and henbane to get into the haylage and hay. Legumes and wormwood are given very rarely.
Among vegetables, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon and melon rinds, apples, both fresh and dried, are acceptable. Boiled potatoes are also allowed in small quantities.
Dairy products can be given to rabbits up to 2.5 months.
Branch food is prepared from fruit trees, as well as oak, aspen, willow, birch, rowan, and coniferous trees.
Containers for feeders, if they are floor-mounted, must be heavy and stable so that large animals cannot tip them over.
