Harlequin Happenings

I was very pleasantly surprised when I recelived the January/February 2015 American Harlequin Rabbit Club newsletter, called Harlequin Happenings. On the very first page there was an article about culling by Barb Adams. I thought it was very well written and addressed a super important topic in my breed, but really in all breeds- which is being responsible by ensuring we aren't using inferior breeding stock or contributing to unwanted populations. A few lines that stood out to me were, "The Harlequin is not getting any favour by having every kit raised, then sold off to pet homes. As responsible breeders, we should find some way to cull or don't breed." She goes on to describe how pet owners frequently lose interest or "release" their unwanted rabbit, a reality that I have found to be very true, despite thorough screening and care taken in placement when I used to offer pets years ago.

After a brief discussion of culling outlets, the author goes on to talk about the traits she looks for in her keepers. I was surprised and impressed to see that she was also looking for good type primarily, which is commercial as per the breed standard. Type is barely worth any points on the show table, which is why I believe so many breeders select their keepers from the nestbox and everything beyond markings/color gets thrown out the window.

"Build your house FIRST... then you paint it!"

Now I will admit that it is very challenging to ignore great markings or a color I want to keep around, but ultimately it is the best decision for the future of the herd. Not to mention, breeding for type first makes it possible to justify having a marked breed for homesteading goals. :)