Improving shoulders....food or genetic?

[wendymac]

Can you improve shoulders with feed/supplements? Or is it only based on genetics?

 

[LaylaLop]

If I had to guess, I would say genetics. If the animal was not filled out overall, it might be a dietary thing but if the rest of the animal is up to speed and just the shoulders are lacking I'd suspect genetics are the main culprit.

I have broad shoulders, and I know I didn't get them from eating alone.. Everyone in my family has 'em so I know just from looking that it's a genetic trait, at least in my lineage.

 

[ZRabbits]

LaylaLop wrote:

If I had to guess, I would say genetics. If the animal was not filled out overall, it might be a dietary thing but if the rest of the animal is up to speed and just the shoulders are lacking I'd suspect genetics are the main culprit.

I have broad shoulders, and I know I didn't get them from eating alone.. Everyone in my family has 'em so I know just from looking that it's a genetic trait, at least in my lineage.

Kim is right. Regarding bone structure like shoulders, crown, hips, it's all genetics.

K

 

[wendymac]

Yeah, but I was wondering if there was a supplement. While you can't grow bone, you can grow muscle/bulk. There are supplements for halter horses, but wasn't sure if there were any for rabbits.

Anyway, I read on another forum about adding calf manna to their daily diet. I currently give it to all the pregnant and nursing does, but now I'm going to try it on all the show ones, too.

 

[ZRabbits]

wendymac wrote:

Yeah, but I was wondering if there was a supplement. While you can't grow bone, you can grow muscle/bulk. There are supplements for halter horses, but wasn't sure if there were any for rabbits.

Anyway, I read on another forum about adding calf manna to their daily diet. I currently give it to all the pregnant and nursing does, but now I'm going to try it on all the show ones, too.

I heard about Calf Manna. That's what was suggested to me when Kreacher needed some fattening up. Couldn't find smaller bags of it (went all over) so stuck with alfalfa.

Read lots of show breeders use it too.

Wishing you luck. Interesting to hear how it goes.

K

 

[wendymac]

I'll let you know how they are in 30 days. Although now it's going to take me 3 hours to feed everyone. lol

 

[majorv]

Genetic, and I've been told by other breeders that it's hard to 'breed out' long shoulders. Better to use a rabbit with good shoulders for breeding.

I've used Calf Manna as a supplement for show. It's supposed to help with their condition. It helped some, but not sure it was enough to justify the cost. I also found that my rabbits liked it so much that I was having a hard time getting them to finish their pellets. I have a 10 lb bag but I know you can get it in larger sizes.

 

[wendymac]

I buy it in 50# bags anyway, because we use it for nursing mares. I'll try it and see what happens. They chunked out more,, so hopefully it'll help. I should see a difference in 30 days. I hope. *crossing fingers*