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| Culling | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 11 2014, 06:36 AM (357 Views) | |
| ZRabbits | Mar 11 2014, 06:36 AM Post #1 |
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Love My Lions!
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How this word starts such passionate arguments in the Rabbit World. But it is a very BIG, important word when raising rabbits for any market (show, pet and meat). Not just to keep inventory down, but also the importance of eradicating any "bad" behavior. And in bad behavior, I mean, aggressive, want to rip you apart behavior. Something some rabbits, no matter how much you handle and try to show they can live a safe life, will always be. These rabbits are not good for pet homes, not good for showing, not good for breeding as all you do is create more rabbits with "bad" behavior. Sorry to say, these "rip you apart" rabbits should find their way into a crock pot. After reading these thoughts of an experienced breeder, and their view on culling, kind of where I am at now. http://rabbitranching.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/culling/ As much as I would too, feel that sad feeling of terminating a healthy rabbit, the reason of aggression is really the No# 1 reason to do so. The quality of life of the rabbit, living with such stress, feeling constantly attacked, is no quality at all. Either is the quality of life of the owner. Tough to commit to something so nasty. Tough to work with safely as well. As much as I hear the horror stories of how some rabbits rip each other apart with fighting....just think what an aggressive rabbit will do to you. Seen some nasty bites. Being truly responsible rabbit breeder, both meaning of the word "cull" should be utilized. Aggressive behavior needs to be eradicated from any breed, along with bad genetics and poor health. KAZ |
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| ZRabbits | Mar 11 2014, 07:07 AM Post #2 |
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Love My Lions!
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Do have an example here in the Z-Tribe of a "cull", that if I was really serious in breeding, would have to be put down permanently. Molly, my Shy Girl ![]() Lovely doe, lots of beautiful wool, dense mane, short skirt, but has always been skittish. Has become a bit "food aggressive", especially at morning feeding. I have no idea what I will come to in the morning, a doe that greets me at the door as all the other Z-Tribe member do, or "Sybil" who has to touch my hand with her teeth. I don't know whether her eyesight is bad, or because she does have lots of guard hair which does get in her eyes and gets startled by movement, but it's always an adventure (and not a fun one) in the morning with her. She sets off everyone else when she gets scared. Always, when I first come home from work, I have to softly talk to Molly, as she is usually in her litter box, hunched, scared because there is now noise. She did it even when Jake was there. As much as I do to alleviate this stress, we have only gotten to common ground and it's on her terms. Why is she still here? She is my pet. She will stay here till she lives out her life. It is a decision we both made. But she will be my experience to make that sad decision to terminally cull aggressive behavior when I really become serious. She is lovely, but to be honest, she's not fun to be around, especially in the morning. I made the commitment to her, but know, way better commitments with a not so stressed rabbits. KAZ |
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| sidd-says-gimme | Mar 11 2014, 09:33 AM Post #3 |
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sidd says stay gold
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I totally agree, 110% percent. They can't be too happy if they are frightened enough of us, their providers, that they try to hurt us. Poor things. Excellent, excellent article! Thanks for sharing this, Z. |
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| NeuBunny | Mar 11 2014, 01:42 PM Post #4 |
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Genetics Geek!
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Good article. We must be thinking alike as I posted a 'rant' on my facebook page the other day (after receiving about the third forward of a message asking me to sign a petition to outlaw culls) - from the same people who forward regular messages about the important of spay and neuter program (who clearly have no idea that spaying/neutering IS a form of culling). The first definition is the proper one used in scientific circles, by the way. The second is a shortening of the proper phrase 'terminal cull' or 'cull and terminate' which has only in recent years come to be a stand-alone second definition of cull. I get irritated even at management agencies that have started to shorten the term -- they aren't doing anyone any favors by muddling the definitions. For some reason, the AR folks think that a terminal cull of an animal that is genetically weak (health or personality) is different from the 'humane euthanasia' that every shelter employs at times. It isn't. Aggression and health issues that affect quality of life do call for termination. Maybe, MAYBE an aggressive animal can be retrained at great investment or a severely handicapped animal go on to lead a full life - and we all warm to those success stories. But you have to weigh those success against all the cases where you do everything you can and still fail -- usually at not insignificant cost to the animal (quality of life) as well. And weigh the cost of keeping that one animal alive against the many could otherwise be helped with the same resources. Yes, some breeders (especially those who aren't vegetarian) do choose to kill (no misuse of terms as euphemisms, please) a large percentage of the animals born each year. If you are going to eat X amount of meat per year anyway, it makes sense to eat the ones that aren't going to contribute to the next generation. I very much doubt anyone aims for the level of a stable natural population -- in which only 1 offspring (total, not per litter) survives to reproductive age to replace each parent in the population - virtually everyone sells at least a few even once they aren't growing their own stock anymore. Ok, I will admit here to being a bit squeamish when I hear of people culling for color in the nest box (makes no sense to me not to grow them out to meat age) but they still got more of a chance at life than had they never been born at all -- which is the real alternative. Sorry -- didn't mean to rant here... I also really resonate with "Unfortunately, I’m not comfortable doing the deed myself. I say “unfortunately,” because I feel like, if I can make that decision for my animals, I should be able to complete the task."" That's me too. I'm really fortunate to have a friend (who raises meat rabbits) who will do it for me. I'm just so scared I will do it wrong and cause more suffering than necessary. Even if I had more experience, it would be difficult to manage with an animal I had raised myself from a baby. |
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