Do you breed same fur length to same fur length

[chechinchillas]

When matching up breeding animals do you breed shorter fur to shorter fur and longer fur to longer fur or do you breed shorter fur to longer fur to get a medium length of fur on the offspring? Do you think breeding shorter fur to longer fur causes fur patterns? What about breeding different fur types together? (I read this in the Empress magazine and wanted to get opinions on this.)

 

[Spoof]

When matching up breeding animals do you breed shorter fur to shorter fur and longer fur to longer fur or do you breed shorter fur to longer fur to get a medium length of fur on the offspring?

I naturally gravitate towards a shorter, stronger fur so most of my animals acquire that after 3-5 generations.

Do you think breeding shorter fur to longer fur causes fur patterns?

Patterns seem to follow certain lines, I haven't ever seen a pattern outside of a white and haven't had my animals dinged for it. Ronda had a few from Carole Kessler that threw babies with swirls and kinky fur.

What about breeding different fur types together? (I read this in the Empress magazine and wanted to get opinions on this.)

Ronda did this because she kept getting dinged for the fur laying down across the hips on certain standard lines. She was told the way to prevent this was to breed to a shorter furred male and create a medium lengthed fur. After doing that for five years (with not much luck, they were either long furred or short furred) We were told by another rancher that it isn't about the fur length but the density. Long fur will stand up and show better if you breed density into it. Food for thought there.

 

[Pookinaround]

I would think that it may take a few generations to breed longer furred animals into a line that throws animals with shorter fur. I do know this though I bred your Kujo (Magellan) to a Ryerson Dark tan with short, tight fur and this is what I got...maybe it is just me and I can't tell but I think his fur looks like daddy's maybe a slight bit shorter....Do you think it made a difference???? I also included pics of mom and dad...

 

[jags]

Have to agree that density has more to do with good stand up fur than the length of it. I have seen very short fur that still layed down

 

[Spoof]

Pookin, you won't know on the baby until he gets his adult prime.

I guess this isn't brought up often, I learned from Casey here a few years ago. I went out and took some pictures so you could see how I was taught.

For those that are curious the way most judge fur length by digging your fingers into it. The middle joint on the average woman's finger is ~1/2" tall.

Pic 1. Short fur, she is only 7 months but I think this is going to be her final fur length.
Pic 2. Medium length on a 9 month old standard male w/medium density,
Pic 3. Long on an old white violet, poor density.
Pic 4. My preference in density and fur length. 1.5 year old pinkwhite.

Unless you're trying to match pelts fur length doesn't really seem to matter so long as the density is good.

 

[6Dusters]

I took two medium animals and one with denser fur. Very happy with the results. Both animals had size and clear color. The result was very good. Total veil pattern could have been a bit better. They showed well.
Nice addition to any breeding program.

 

[jags]

Unless you're trying to match pelts fur length doesn't really seem to matter so long as the density is good.[/QUOTE]

It can matter a lot on the show table as an average size framed animal with short fur will appear smaller than one with good length to its fur.

 

[jags]

Also animals fur length can be very different on different parts of their bodies. You want it to be close to the same length over the whole body to have a good appearance.

 

[Zoaea]

Interesting food for thought. I know Casey helped me pair a male to my girl, she has long fur that needed some density and the two males he had me pick from were super dense. IDK my girls fur doesn't lay down, but i think if it had any less density it would, so in my amateur opinion I agree with the idea that density with longer fur should help keep it up. =P

I also think I would try to breed my favorite length to my fav length, I'm not experienced enough to know where that would be yet, but I'm guessing med to med/long. But then I also would only ever have a few animals so I could afford to skip over other lengths.