Buck Breeding Question

[FogCity]

I understand why does should not breed until a certain age, but why bucks? I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that like other animals, once the male is able to produce sperm, the age is not important (at least with a young animal). So why is it advised to wait until a buck is mature to breed it. I am speaking purely biologically. I understand that until a rabbit has reached a certain age, particular traits may not be noticeable and therefore one would want to wait. I also guess that perhaps at a younger age a buck may not know what to do. But putting that aside, why wait? Is there anything that could go wrong from breeding, say, a three or four month old Flemish? Could it produce a small litter? Is the sperm not strong enough?

 

[iluvdutchrabbbits90]

I bred my dutch buck at 4 and a half months, he had a litter of 4. But on the other hand one of my lionhead bucks coudlnt have a litter untill he was 7 months old. I guess it just depends on the rabbit.

 

[Heartlandrabbitry]

iluvdutchrabbbits90 wrote:

I bred my dutch buck at 4 and a half months, he had a litter of 4. But on the other hand one of my lionhead bucks coudlnt have a litter untill he was 7 months old. I guess it just depends on the rabbit.

Your Dutch buck had a litter of four? :shock:

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

Mentally the rabbit may not mature until 6 months. Meaning he may not even really be THAT interested in females. My youngest buck here, he's produced litters, but where he was still mentally immature, he could be in the middle of his duty and leave for food. My mature bucks would rather kill themselves over breeding and ignore everything else.


And like you said bunny balls arn't present immediately. You can breed after they drop, the waiting 6 months or 8-12 for large breeds is just a good estimate when the rabbit is physically and mentally mature.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I know it has to do with mental maturity like mentioned and also with sterility. This is not just true with rabbits but i know stallions you usually wait until they are about 3yrs.

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

look at it from a human standpoint... a lot can reproduce at 12 years, but do you really want that as a parent?

 

[FogCity]

all good points, thanks. so in summary, when the balls drop, they are physically ready, but perhaps not mentally.

 

[SNM]

I have a mini rex that's 6 1/2 months...... he had no interest in the doe at all. He liked his pinecone a lot better

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

A three or four month old Flemish has not yet really sexually matured. So, you could try, but chances are he doesn't have his sperm in yet, he won't know what to do, etc. It's just best to wait till your bucks are mature, so you won't be relying on getting does bred by young bucks, and then be stuck when the does don't take.

Some bucks are completely capable of getting does bred at young ages, and then there are the bucks that are matured, but take no interest in breeding the does.

Emily

 

[jubidyjub]

Sperm isn't viable until 130 days. If they are bred young, they should only be bred to willing does. Sometimes if a youngster has a bad experience, he may shy away from breeding when he is fully mature.

 

[FogCity]

Thank you jubidyjub, those are both very good points, I never thought about the second one.

 

[Shaded Night Rabbitry]

BlueCamasRabbitry wrote:

A three or four month old Flemish has not yet really sexually matured. So, you could try, but chances are he doesn't have his sperm in yet, he won't know what to do, etc. It's just best to wait till your bucks are mature, so you won't be relying on getting does bred by young bucks, and then be stuck when the does don't take.

Some bucks are completely capable of getting does bred at young ages, and then there are the bucks that are matured, but take no interest in breeding the does.

Emily

My flemish got an NZ/Florida doe pregnant at 3 months. xD Freaking Chestnut and his insane buck-ness. (Although that may be why he's such a bad bunny now. >.<; Trying to get my does all the time, lol.)