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Size genetics

22 10:05:56

Question
Are rabbits like pea plants in that a tall parent and a short parent will produce 3 tall to 1 short?  Will mating a small buck to a big doe results in 3 big to 1 small or just a bunch of medium size rabbits?

What is the Vienna gene or carrier and why is it important?

Answer
Hi Tom. Well yes, no, and maybe. It depends on what type of rabbits you are working with. Not if you have rabbits with a dwarf gene. Dwarf rabbits carry one dwarf and one regular gene. When mated together you get bunnies with one of each gene ( the correct dwarf), bunnies with no dwarf genes (known as false dwarfs), and bunnies with two dwarf genes ( known a peanuts). Peanuts always die. False dwarfs grow bigger and have longer bodies, heads and ears than their littermates that receive the dwarf gene. False dwarfs are usually about 1/3 larger than regular dwarfs. However when bred to a proper dwarf, 1/2 of the young will be false dwarf and 1/2 will be regular dwarf. There will be no peanuts, as the false dwarf has no dwarf gene to donate. So you will not get young with two dwarf genes. If you breed two regular rabbits together the babies will usually average out about medium size between the parents. Now, if you breed a regular and a dwarf together, the bunnies will be all over the place in size. You will get those that do not receive any dwarf genes and get the largest size possible from both parents.There will be those  that receive no dwarf genes but get the smallest size possible from both parents and those that have the same scenario but include the dwarf gene putting them in a different size group also. I hope I have not confused you too much.   Pat