STEEL BREEDING WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR
The Steel Dutch is a very challenging and genetically interesting variety. The steel variety is actually the result of a genetic mutation or "man-made" gene in the Extension or E Series of genetics. "Es" stands for the steel gene. It is the most dominant of the E series genes. What is most intriguing about the steel gene is that it does not produce color; instead it alters whatever color the rabbit already is. This is why we can have black steels, blue steels, chocolate steels, and so on, granted these are not all recognized varieties of Dutch. Only the black based steel is an accepted variety. The steel gene is more of a color modifier than a color producer. If you take a gray and add the steel gene it will pull the slate blue under color up the hair shaft and cover up the medium tan intermediary band. It will also pull the slate blue under color of the belly up the hair shaft making for the darker belly color. the effects of the steel gene are less with blacks as there is no intermediary band to cover up and no light belly color to darken. What the steel gene does to a black is cause ticking. It is important to note that when you "steel a black" so to speak, these are the steels that typically have less ticking over the back.
The genotype for a steel Dutch can be shown as aaB-C-D-Es-(black based steel) or A-B-C-D-Es (agouti based steel). The difference is that he latter genotype contains the "A" agouti gene which some say makes for more even and usually heavier ticking of steel color. In my opinion this is where steels are the most challenging. The standard calls for "a black animal with uniform disbursement of off-white or cream coloration on some of the hair tips." A problems arises when you have a black-steel that lacks the agouti gene, there tends to be a lack of ticking over that back, sometimes referred to as a black dorsal strip which is a fault of the variety. On the other hand, when you have a steel with the agouti gene, they may (or may not) be more brassy or yellow in color which is also a fault. With this said, there is a fine line to walk to get good steel color. This is why many Dutch breeders refer to steels as one of the most challenging varieties and not ideal for beginners. When you think that you have steel genetics figured out, you don't and you are always learning more (especially when the steel gene "tricks" you).
An interesting tidbit about steels is that if an animal has 2 steel genes (aaB-C-D-EsEs), the steel will actually "hide" itself. When two steel genes are paired together, you will end up with what is referred to as a "self steel" or a solid rabbit. It will look like a black that may or may not have scattered white hairs, but it carries steel and will pass it on to its offspring. This is why it is usually best to breed steel to black and occasionally throw in gray and blue.
In my experience steel color can be (again I say can be, but not always) produced by breeding gray to black, steel to black, and steel to blue. When breeding gray to black, the steels produced are a good start, but will usually have heavier ticking due to the presence of the agouti gene mentioned previous. This is how I got into steels since I didn't want to purchase a steel to breed into my rabbitry. By breeding gray to black, I produced some very nice steel does for a basis to my steel breeding program. Since then I purchased a nice black buck that has steel and blue in the background to use with these does. I also have used a blue buck to breed to my steel does with good outcome as well. It is important to note that using too much gray in a steel breeding program can produce steels with ring color which is a disqualification. Keep in mind that grays produced in a steel breeding program will probably not carry good ring color and if this is the case, should not be used in a gray breeding program. With the intermixing of the blue variety, one will possibly produce blue steels which are not recognized, but can be helpful to a steel breeding program.
My advice to the prospective steel breeder is, as with all of the other varieties, when breeding for steel put body type first and then work on markings and color. Make sure to read up on coat color genetics and look to experienced breeders for advice, because with a good understanding of how basic genetics work; you will have a good background to start with for working with the steel variety. On a personal note, I really enjoy the fact that I need a little of this and a little of that (meaning black, steel, gray, and blue) in my rabbitry to have a sound steel breeding program. It gives me a little extra "color" in the rabbitry to appreciate.
This article appeared in the 2005 Oct/Nov/Dec Issue of the Dutch Reporter. Written by Theresa Kortbein.
PURCHASING BREEDING STOCK - WHAT I LOOK FOR
It is always fun to look for new stock to add to your current breeding herd. I like to call this “shopping” and I very much enjoy shopping at local all breed shows, specialty shows as well as ARBA convention and NDS. Sometimes, if I am lucky, I may find that special animal that I want to add to by breeding herd, to improve or enhance desirable qualities of my herd. There are certain things that I feel are important to look for in these prospective new additions.
First and foremost, above anything else, I look for a healthy, bright-eyed animal that does not exhibit any signs of illness. I look for an animal with vigor, resilience and good overall general condition. Any animal no matter how nicely marked or typed will never help your herd if it is unhealthy or sick. This can lead to more problems than it is worth. Then I look at general type of the animal. Does it have a nice head? How does its body look and feel when you pose the animal? A round head that is balanced with the rest of the body is important. I realize that the head doesn’t add up to a lot of points in the standard, but let’s face it, the head is one of the first things that a judge will see and make his or her first impression, so to me it is important to breed for a nice head. Next the body type; I set up the rabbit in the correct pose for evaluation. A short, round, compact body is a must! You need to have a nice body to start with, because in my experience, if you breed for good overall type, the markings will come. I look for a nice topline on the rabbit which usually is the result of good depth of body. It seems to me that this is a feature which if you have it, then you will not have as many animals that seem “hippy” or hollow in the loin. I see a lot more “hippy” and hollow loined animals that are flat and have a poor topline. Along that line I check to make sure that the animal’s topline peaks in the correct spot and not too soon. Many times when the rabbit peaks too soon, they will appear to slide off the hindquarter.
Checking out the lower hindquarters is also something that I do. I like to see a Dutch with full, round hindquarters that carry the flesh all the way down to the table. One of my biggest dislikes is a pinched and/or undercut lower hindquarter. These traits are very difficult to breed out of your herd once you have them. When evaluating the body type, run your hand over the rabbit and it should feel smooth throughout, not “bony” or rough. Although many say you can condition that “smoothness” into the rabbit, it is more importantly a genetic factor to breed for by using animals in your breeding program that possess this trait. I do not use any feed conditioners with my animals, I rely on using stock that maintain good condition as part of my herd to pass on these good genetics.
Although type is number one, I do look at markings to a point as well. I look for a good overall balance of markings. Personally I like to steer away from high cheeks and long stops. For some reason it seems to me that these are things that get longer and higher very easily. I would even prefer to use an animal with a split stop for breeding as opposed to an animal with long stops. Of course we all strive to use animals with ideal type and markings, but in my opinion, an animal with outstanding type and just okay markings is better to use for breeding than an animal with just okay type and outstanding markings. Color is another important factor that I evaluate and breed for. It doesn’t matter which color or colors you raise, each has its own difficulties. I want a properly colored animal when I am adding an animal to my barn, no matter which variety it may be.
There are also certain characteristics that I stay away from. I would not purchase or use for breeding, any animal that has a nose spot, an eye spot or bad teeth. To be clear I am talking about a genetic occurrence, not one resulting from an injury that the animal has incurred. There is a difference.
Although it is not real important to me, I also like to peruse the pedigree to see if the animal I am examining is at all related to the lines that are already in my barn. I try to line breed my Dutch so it can be helpful to view the pedigree and find that this possible addition is somewhat related to the current animals in my breeding program. At the same token, adding lines that are outcrosses can be helpful as well. The pedigree will also give you information on the varieties behind the rabbit which may be important as well.
In conclusion I have discussed some of the things that I look at when “shopping” for Dutch to add to my barn. I would be interested to hear others opinions on this subject as well. I am sure I have just “touched” on a very broad topic and that there are many other views on the above article.
This article was written for submission to the Dutch Reporter by Theresa Kortbein.
GRAY COLOR
It never ceases to amaze me, all of the variation on gray color. Being a breeder of Gray Dutch myself, I take notice of this at local and national shows alike. You have your grays that are too dark and your grays that are lighter, some that have no ring color and then you get that gray with ring color that jumps out and bites you. As much as I don’t want to be bitten, I love a gray with some good ring color. There is just something eye catching about a sleeked up, properly colored gray Dutch! So how does one get good color on their grays?? I am by no means an expert on the subject but even so, I do have my opinions about it. (I am a bit opinionated, anyone that knows me will attest to that.) First off I breed only good colored gray to good colored gray. I realize that some breeders use gold and maybe even torts to get better color. I have never tried this so I really cannot comment on whether or not it works. The breeders that do utilize those colors to help improve the gray color, say it works. Maybe someday I will try it, but for now I stick to breeding gray x gray. When I say that I use good colored grays, basically nice definition of ring is an absolute must and that ring must be carried over the top of the back as well. If the gray is going to lack ring color it will be on the top of the back. I also look at the underside of the animal. It seems to me that if the animal’s undercut can be seen without blowing into the fur to visualize undercut placement, this is an indication that the rabbits will have better color. Maybe I am way off here, but I am noticing in my herd that the better colored animals will have an undercut that is easily visualized without blowing into the fur. I would love to hear other’s opinions on this. Also I like a more rufus colored Dutch as this seems to accentuate the intermediate band and make it wider and brighter. Another aspect of gray color is fur length. I have heard other breeders comment about having longer fur in the gray color to get better color. I believe that it is true, but I also think that one has to be cautious not to get too long of a coat which will spoil the sharpness of the markings. Again as with most things you have a fine line to walk and it is one heck of a balancing act. When it comes to surface color I believe that for the most part, if you have proper ring color your surface color shouldn’t be too far off proper. When it comes to the grays that are darker in surface color, I am willing to bet that they won’t have very good ring definition. Gray color should not be assessed during a molt because an animal with very good color may have terrible color while in molt. I start looking at my gray bunnies for color as soon as they start coming out of the nest box. From experience with my gray herd if you can see ring color at 5-6 weeks of age then they will usually have better color later as well. I will usually cull out bunnies at the weaning age if they have no ring color and poor surface color. They may develop good color later, but probably not. Breeding grays with good color is not only challenging, but very rewarding as well. We all need to work toward better, more proper color to improve our Dutch. There shouldn’t be such a variation in out gray color in the future if we continue to work to improve it.
For those of you that have attended the NDS before, this article may not be any news to you, but for those of you who have never attended and are interested, it may be beneficial. The National Dutch Show is held every spring in April or there about. Not only is this show an honor to exhibit in, but it also is a great time to network with fellow breeders that have the same interest in that special little belted rabbit, the Dutch, that we are all so passionate about. The NDS is an excellent way to find quality breeding stock for purchase from breeders across the country that maybe you wouldn¡¯t otherwise have the opportunity to buy. I personally look forward to the NDS every spring to catch up with all of my Dutch Friends from all over the country as well as meet new friends to talk "Dutch" with. This year the NDS is in
I am writing this article late January, so by this time you should have your hopefuls already out of the nestbox. Ideally you want your juniors to be about 4 or 5 months old at NDS so they should have been born late November or early December. Personally I am happy with litters born thru early January too. Keep an eye on those hopefuls, watch how they develop, cull as needed throughout the process and keep the very best.
When I attend NDS I always bring the following items with me and have found them either useful and/or necessary during my trip.
~Feed and Water that the rabbits are currently used to at home. It is important to maintain the same feed while on the road with your Dutch. Some people will just use the feed and water that the sponsoring club supplies at the show, but this can cause your Dutch to go into a molt or even worse go off of feed and stop eating all together. Try to keep things as normal for your rabbits as possible. On that note rabbits can go off of feed due to the stress of it all, so I like to bring along good grassy hay and other ¡°treats¡± like rolled oats, whole grain conditioner, etc. Bring what works for you and your rabbits.
~Feed and Water dishes for your rabbits. Most times at national shows the sponsoring club will supply dishes for the rabbits, but I recommend that you bring your own because you never know what you are going to get. It is safest to bring enough dished from home that you know are clean and this way you will have them when you need them.
~Bring cardboard. Yes, cardboard....you may be wondering why¡..well, dividers of course. In addition to the cardboard, bring a utility knife to cut it with. After being cut to the proper size, the cardboard will work nicely to block spray from another buck, also gives a sense of security to your Dutch and provides added protection from the terribly feared "nose bite" from another Dutch that somehow got to close. Basically an all around protective barrier.
~Cage cleaning equipment ¨C Since the cooping usually has solid flooring and shavings are utilized for bedding, you will need to bring something to clean out the cage. I like to use a dustpan and a small scraper. The shavings are usually supplied by the hosting club so you shouldn't need to bring any, but while your rabbits are there, it is your responsibility to clean out the soiled bedding and keep the cage clean.
~Cage Signs or Cage Markers ¨C There will be a lot of Dutch rabbits at the show and it is always nice to have some sort of marking on your rabbit's coop to distinguish it from others. The Dutch are all cooped according to variety, sex and age so if you are exhibiting different varieties you can bet that your Dutch will not all be in the same area. Signs also come in handy if you are planning to offer any animals for sale during the show. Signage can provide for good information for the prospective buyer.
~Wire False Flooring ¨C Many exhibitors will bring false flooring for their rabbits which will keep the rabbit off of the solid floor/shavings and keep them cleaner. This is not necessary, but I have used them and they work well. I do like to utilize them if I have room to pack them along. If you plan on using these find out from the show officials the size of the cooping that will be used at the show. It does you no good to bring false flooring that is too large for the cooping provided.
~Grooming Supplies ¨C This would include at the very least a carpet or grooming table (if there is room), a brush, a nail clippers, cloth/towel and some type of stain remover. The brush and nail clipper are a given, as far as the stain remover, this goes back to the fact that Dutch bucks are notorious sprayers and sometimes your show rabbit gets hit. Personally I like to use Listerine with a cloth. Just blot the area until it appears clean and then blot and brush dry. Works pretty good. I stay away from the eyes though. Before showing, go over each rabbit and do any needed grooming. Make sure that toenails are clipped. It is a shame when a rabbit catches a long toenail and rips it out during judging. Something that could have been prevented with proper clipping.
~Cable ties ¨C I like to bring the plastic cable ties to secure the cage door closed and also if there is a loose top or divider in the cooping it can be secured as well using cable ties. If you are going to use the cable ties make sure to bring a scissors or wire clipper to remove them prior to judging and after the show is over.
~If you plan to sell any of your stock, make sure that you bring the pedigree for that rabbit. Most times a buyer will like to see this before a purchase. Also when donating an animal to the Dutch Auction a pedigree is required.
~Long sleeves ¨C As mentioned earlier in this article, you will be handing a lot of rabbits during the course of the weekend especially if you volunteer to carry and run rabbits which is always needed and greatly appreciated. The long sleeves will protect your arms from scratches and mishap. Be sure to bring some hand sanitizer if you do handle other peoples rabbits or be diligent in hand washing.
~Raffle Donation ¨C Each year at the NDS they hold a raffle and donations are always welcome. Many people will bring something from their home state, maybe a basket of goodies or Dutch related items, something along those lines. The profit from the raffle supports the American Dutch Rabbit Club. Don't forget to buy your tickets!
~Bring a camera too ¨C there are always good memories to be captured and also the pictures that you take of the National Dutch Show are always a welcomed submission to the Dutch Reporter. The members that are not able to make the trip do appreciate seeing the photos and the people that did attend NDS usually get a kick out of seeing themselves pictured, especially when they didn't expect it!
So there you have a few of my recommendations, I may have missed something, but I hope that this helps your planning and also makes your National Dutch Show a fun and well organized trip. Remember if you have more specific questions contact the show officials for this year's NDS or for general NDS questions contact a fellow Dutch breeder that has attended past National shows. See you in
As submitted to the Dutch Reporter by Theresa Kortbein