I participated in an interesting discussion regarding the American Chinchilla breed this week. It is a really great group of people. I've always liked and admired this breed, but one thing that I think limits it from generating more interest is that it only comes in one color/pattern- black chinchilla. Actually, if we examine the majority of threatened breeds, we see this is a common factor:
American Chinchilla
Belgian Hare
Blanc De Hotot
Giant Chinchilla
Lilac
Crème d'Argent
Giant Angora
American Sable
Cinnamon
Standard Chinchilla
Some of the breeds I didn't list have more than one color option, but it is very limited. Take the American rabbit, for example. It comes in blue and REW. I don't know about everywhere else, but New Zealand Whites are a dime a dozen here in Georgia. If I am some new breeder looking to raise a rabbit for heritage purposes (meat, fur, etc.), why would I go with a breed with an extremely limited gene pool, that would be very difficult for me to acquire and may require significant travel, etc. to get what is a solid blue or white rabbit. Around here, commercial type is also thought to be the best at meat and Americans are mandolin type (semi-arch). As a hypothetical breeder, that is several marks against American and for NZW.
In the Am. Chin. discussion, I brought up the color development in Silver Fox. Once critically endangered, this breed is making an awesome comeback here in the South. I can find them easily within driving distance and personally know of a handful of breeders here working with them, when they used to be impossible to find just like most of the other heritage breeds. Blue and chocolate both have been in development and I've seen those colors popping up in litters also left and right. People like having the choices. As a breed that was developed in a large part for its fur, it makes sense to me that the Silver Fox may be acquired in other colors. Now it has more interesting fur color options, which some may find more attractive. These days the Silver Fox breed presents a much more tempting package as compared to Americans when that hypothetical breeder is considering a heritage rabbit, right?
The thing that was particularly interesting to me in the discussion was that everyone almost unanimously said that they would never want to develop another color like blue or chocolate in the breed. Some argued that it is a purity thing, some said they want to keep focusing on black, and some implied that having new breeders (and this is the part that shocked me) could be detrimental to the breed. As in new breeders would set the breed back.
Food for thought: as breeders, do we really want to think that way? Many of these heritage breeds were beloved in their region and performed wonderfully for what they were bred to do. According to the ALBC, "Between November 1928 and November 1929, no less than 17,328 Chinchillas
were registered through the American Rabbit & Cavy Breeders
Association (American Rabbit Breeders Association, Inc.) – a record that
has yet to be broken." Now they are endangered, critically in some regions, and it sounds like some of the current breeders aren't excited about the possibility of increasing numbers. I have no stake in this breed myself, but I do care about what happens to heritage breeds overall and also work with a notoriously difficult headache of a breed, so I know it isn't easy. I would still argue that it is worth it. :)
Harlequin rabbits are on the "study" portion of the ALBC list and it seems like their numbers have slightly increased in my region since I started raising them. When I was trying to take a break from rabbits, I refused to cull rabbits that I thought could contribute to a poor population here in Georgia. I had even offered them for free if someone wanted to work with them. Not one person that contacted me even came through. So guess what? I still have them, haha. And I am back to raising them and I love them just as much now as I did 4 years ago. I would be happy to get someone started. I don't know everything and some of my thoughts are in direct contradiction with other breeders (I want type before markings!), but I would happily share what information I do have.
Ultimately, it is up to the stewards of each breed to promote, educate, and mentor new
folks that are starting out, particularly in a breed with a low population. What can help
or degrade the breed totally depends on what stock is passed along and whether
the new people have the information to make good choices on culling. If a breeder sells garbage to someone, then they should anticipate a decline in quality in their area as the new breeder produces and sells garbage, too. Regarding "rare" breeds like American Chinchilla, I
think breed development (like the creation of blue or chocolate) would ultimately be a benefit to transition the breed from being so threatened to one that is kept by more people
for what it was originally bred for. This would mean more competition on
the show table (which maybe people don't want if they are winning everything now), or new challenges in breeding (which I realize not everyone has space for), but it would also help
ensure the future of the breed. Plus, wouldn't a blue or chocolate American Chinchilla just be stunning?
This is a very good point. I like variety in my rabbitry, and even though now I breed strictly for meat, when I was raising Rex for show, I wanted lots of variety. I had blues, opals, castor, lynx, black otter, and chocolate. I've got a Cal doe, a Silver Fox buck and a Silver Fox doe, my Amber Rex doe, and a Castor Mini Rex buck. I've always been die hard on the Rex, but these Silver Fox are changing my mind. I LOVE them, and even though the line I have is all black, I'd love to have some blues someday. The fur is what totally amazes me with these rabbits, as well as size and temperment. I've yet to raise any to fryer size, so we'll see how that goes. Anyway I suppose what this rambling comment is trying to say is...I totally understand that variety is the spice of life! LOL! I think some people get a little high and mighty and puffed up about raising heritage breeds and want to think they are the only ones, or the only ones who can. That is sad. It's that type of mentality that will keep these heritage breeds, just that, a dying heritage and that is sad. It also makes me sad the price tag on some of these breeds. I know it takes a lot of time and money to produce quality animals, but in our area, a breeding trio of Silver Fox would cost you around 150 bucks or more. And in order to keep yourself going, you actually need TWO unrelated trios, so now we are up to 300 bucks, just for the rabbits. That's a lot in my humble opinion. If the prices would come down, a lot more people could afford to purchase and breed these fine heritage animals. However, the flip side to that little coin is this....if you get the price down to where anybody and everybody can afford to buy them, will they breed responsibly and in a manner that will improve the breed? Some will, most won't so like most things in life, it's a double edged sword! Ok....I'll shut up now! :)
ReplyDeleteI love hearing your perspective as a heritage breed owner/breeder! I agree that sometimes it is just cost prohibitive to even purchase some "rare" rabbits. I especially can't see a youth breeder (the next generation for our heritage breeders) being able to afford $300 or more just to get started without even counting all of the needed supplies. I also agree that if everyone can afford them that there is no way to guarantee responsible breeding, but I think that is where the experienced breeders can help by taking newbies under their wing and teaching them about how to be ethical and what to look for when they do have a litter, etc. I don't think I did a good job convincing anyone of my point of view in the initial discussion about American Chinchilla rabbits in particular- but the short version was that I think something like a new color might be just the help the breed needs to go from being a heritage breed that is becoming history to one that is still going strong with historical significance!
DeleteI agree, that sometimes even when you are working to hold onto the past, you have to move forward as well!
DeleteI have so many thoughts regarding this post I had to take notes LOL
ReplyDeleteFirst, I totally agree with you on color. For a long time I raised REW Netherland Dwarfs. It got old really fast having just 1 color. That is why I like Harlequins - no 2 look exactly alike.
Second, I have noticed increasingly that breeders don't want to help newbies. There is an air of superiority. I noticed the same thing in fancy rats when I was looking for pets: people don't want to help the new person. If you want fancy rats on a breeding contract from a breeder you have to have references and a mentorship or letter of recommendation. I don't know if it is fear of competition, ARAs, or what the reason may be.
It is saddening though. Once the current generation of breeders moves on, where will American Chinchilla and similar breeds be? They will die out or backyard breeders will take over and at that point, the rabbits will be so far removed they might as well have gone extinct.
For other breeders, I think they like having a rare breed. There is no competition - they can win on the local or national level - and they have bragging rights that they are working to preserve an endangered breed.
Haha, I had to take notes, too!
DeleteIt is amazing to me how color influenced a population boom in SF in our region. Before I got Harlequins I was looking at breeds like Bevs and SF, but I literally couldn't ever find a viable breeding group. When I went to the Conyers show though- they were everywhere! And looked pretty darn good, too!
Isn't the shift in mentoring pretty amazing? I was fortunate in that I had mentors in person and online to keep me going the right direction. I know I've had a lot of good stuff and a lot of heart ache with rabbits over the past 5+ years now, but I think I would have given up long ago if not for folks like you, Qadoshyah, Paula, Christine, etc. I can't believe that madness about rats! Are you wanting pedigrees? I don't know if you remember, but I developed my own line of rex dumbo rats with blazes. The original foundation male I picked out of a feeder cage at the petstore here if that helps.
I wonder the same thing about our lovely heritage breeds that are still barely holding in numbers on ALBC and on Franco's rare breed list. I've still never even seen several of the rare breeds in person after all this time after having lived near 3 different major cities. I'd love to put my hands on a Blanc de Hotot, for example. Maybe someday! Or not.. if no one wants to take out CODs or "share the rare" with the next generation of breeders.
I don't know how to edit comments- but I meant that I saw SF all over the Conyers show. I've still never met a Beveren in person, even though I love so much about them!
DeleteI never really saw the correlation between SF having new colors and the population boom - which seems to be countrywide. I was going to share the link to a breeder's website who started with rangy Silver Fox and selectively bred them in many colors to a level that could compete against many NZs. Unfortunately it looks like she parted with her herd. :\
DeleteI would not have stayed in rabbits for so long if I didn't have so many friends and mentors to guide the way. I wish people realized the importance of helping each other instead of closing your rabbitry off.
I didn't know you raised rats! I just wanted some "pretty" rats as pets. If you want to post pictures of your rats, I wouldn't complain. ;) Right now though, I think we are maxed out on pets.
I completely agree with you. I was sad when some of our forums and such closed also because it was a way to keep in touch with friends/mentors.
DeleteSure! I don't have them anymore, but here were some of the babies we had around here a few years ago: http://www.hendrickshearth.blogspot.com/2012/07/cute-little-furballs.html
That's why you get multiple breeds, ha! :)
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, the reason I went with the Creme' d'Argent. is I am a glutton for punishment, I guess. Or, I really just like a challenge, to put it more nicely. They are now the 6th rarest rabbit, and I am the ONLY breeder in Tennessee (and had a heck of a time getting them here.) Even though I was looking mainly for meat rabbits, I figured all rabbits taste about the same, I may as well get one that's pretty and one that I can work to preserve and promote.
I really hate to hear about breeders who would sooner cull all of their stock before selling them to other people. believing that nobody could possibly live up to their standard. Indeed, what is the point of even bothering with them in the first place?!
Aside from aesthetics, I think what will save our heritage breeds is their utility. Some breeds (and this goes for any livestock) have a fascinating history and are nice to look at, but if they are poor mothers, ill-tempered, or have other characteristics that make them finicky to raise, what is the point of preserving them? (Of course, this sort of thing can vary depending on genetic lines.) The novelty factor eventually wears off, and at the end of the day people will care more about their economical value.
I read somewhere about somebody developing a Red American. How cool would that be? Red, white and blue! :)
Very thoughtful post, by the way. It's nice to see such a level-headed, dedicated breeder, such as yourself. :)
Thank you! I love that you raise Creme' d'Argent and that you care to preserve AND promote. I think that is the key- whether it is educating folks on the heritage breeds' utility uses or even just parting with a pair to get a new breeder started. Incidentally, I think your breed has gorgeous pelts and they have the added bonus in that they already exist in other colors, though for some reason ARBA has the colors as separate breeds? As far as I can tell, this is not so much the case in Europe. I do think a red American would be awesome and would only be helpful- but I doubt I'd have any luck convincing anyone. What I wanted to convey in the American Chinchilla breed discussion about getting folks started is that no one has any control over what anyone else does anywhere. All we can do is be approachable, encouraging, and knowledgeable and hopefully that is enough to get someone on the right track.
DeleteA bit off topic. but I am curious to see how your Cremes grow/dress-out/etc. if you end up keeping data. I always see SF noted as having amazing dress-out, but I haven't seen any recent numbers from anyone. I've always heard Harlies suck for meat, but I couldn't find numbers on them either so I'm just trying to keep track myself in the meantime. There is tons of info out about NZ that I was going to compare them to.
I don't think the breeder I got my Cremes from was focusing too much on growth rates. She didn't eat hers much. So yes, I'm curious to see too. I'll be breeding my first pure Cremes next month, probably.
DeleteThe NZR/Creme crosses will be processed, here in a couple of weeks, so we'll see how they dress out.
I haven't found much info. on the other colors, but I believe the Brun is one? The breeder I bought from just got a pair, and said it was another I would probably like. But I think two breeds are plenty!
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