Genetics

[MsBinky]

So I was reading Peg's post in another thread regarding genetics and at first I was all "Wooohooo let's see what I can understand"... Read the first line... Ok... Read the second and third and kept going and as I went along my eyes got wider and wider and i thought my head would blow.

I feel illiterate, unable to understand it... I went to the site and it was making a little more sense to me. But then again... I got lost soon enough.

So I wanted to ask... How long should it take for one to understand these things? Lol

 

[polly]

A long time Sophie lol it helps if you can get a book on it I have an american genetics book (well 2) got for me by a very helpful friend from on here!! they are well worth having you should be able to order them I don't know the sites as it was a while ago but maybe one of the others can help out with that.

What i do is ask LOADS of questions and read all I can and i try to concentrate on the colours i breed too so its not quite as much to learn!!

 

[MsBinky]

Are the books written in english I can understand? LOL But okies, it's encouraging to know that I'm not just dumb not to understand it right away :biggrin2:

 

[Jenson]

I struggle with genetics too. I started out breeding selfs because I understand that, but then I had to fall in love the magpies and things have got more confusing! I use the internet for doing research, but I usually need someone to write it out for me if I'm really confused (Pam does a great job of this!). Her website with the illustrations of the colours is really helpful too.

 

[BlueGiants]

There is an excellent book called "Rabbit Coat Color Genetics" by Glenna Huffmon. (self published). That goes into it pretty clearly. But it is a cvmplex subject, and when you first get into it, you do have to read and re-read it a few times to follow it. Remember, some people spend their whole lives working on Genetics. Give yourself time to read and learn.

 

[TinysMom]

Glenna Huffmon actually has two books out - and both are excellent. I helped Polly get her set last year (she sent me the money and I got them for her and sent them to her). I think they're the easiest to read about genetics.

I was fascinated by genetics when I was in high school - so that was part of why I was so fascinated with breeding.

If you can wrap your mind around the idea that even humans have dominant genes vs. recessive genes...and that is why we have people with different color eyes, hair, etc. - then you can start to understand rabbit genetics.

The hard thing for me sometimes is to remember that rabbits get one gene (in each set) from each parent. So you have to really look at the parents and the pedigrees and stuff sometimes to see what is behind the babies...

For a lot of breeds - the color genetics isn't a big deal - like Californians or New Zealands, Florida Whites, etc.

Its mainly important if you want showable bunnies....

Peg

 

[MsBinky]

Thank you everyone :biggrin2:Yeah, I like trying to relate ot the the human genes. That makes sense, I got a bit confused because of the explanations too. Kinda like the banding and ticking, etc, but I guess that comes with time and experience. I will look into those books and see if I can grasp the concept. Lol

 

[polly]

one of the easiest way i was told to have an idea what will produce what is

Agouti patterns can produce - other agouti patterns, otters and selfs

otter patterns can produce - otter patterns and selfs (not agouti)

and self patterns ie black can produce - selfs only

 

[NZminilops]

I read an e-book by a New Zealand author to help me to learn,but would be useless to share with you as we call some colours different (like tort for you is sooty fawn for us, blue tort for you is beige here).

This I also found really helpful, I found it yesterday and it's pretty cool . It gives many examples of how the C gene works which is the one I find the most confusing, it shows how it works in correlation to the others and gives many excellent examples.

http://www.mossypossumfarms.com/slrcgenetictablec.htm

 

[pamnock]

polly wrote:

one of the easiest way i was told to have an idea what will produce what is

Agouti patterns can produce - other agouti patterns, otters and selfs

otter patterns can produce - otter patterns and selfs (not agouti)

and self patterns ie black can produce - selfs only

This is a correct listing of the order of dominance, but its important to remember that an agouti can only produce tans and selfs if it carries the "at" tan or "a" self gene and is bred to another agouti carrying those genes or a tan or self rabbit.

Same with tans "at". They can produce selfs if both rabbits have the "a" self gene.

Selfs are homozygous recessive and cannot carry the dominant tan or agout genes, so cannot produce tans or agoutis (unless bred to those dominant varieties).

Pam

 

[MsBinky]

:sigh:

I think I will be known for being the person who took the longest to understand the "simple" rabbit genetics

 

[pamnock]

MsBinky wrote:

:sigh:

I think I will be known for being the person who took the longest to understand the "simple" rabbit genetics

Keep on practicing - you'll be surprised when, one day, the pieces all fall into place

Pam

 

[MsBinky]

Lol thank you Pam :rose: