Page:Care and Management of Rabbits.djvu/177

163 grees be sent you. In this way you know that the animal is free from disqualifications under the Standard for his breed, his age, his ancestry for at least three generations, his weight and other important considerations.

Old stock should not be kept too long as they lose their breeding value after about three years of age. It is better to use them a year or so and then sell them or exchange them for younger stock.

Do not under any consideration use stock for breeding purposes having disqualifications under the Standard for the breed to which they belong.

Disqualifications vary according to the different breeds, and a complete list of them will be found in the Standard for that breed. Such things as drooping ears, wiry or crooked tails, crooked feet, back, etc., are indicative generally of a constitutional defect which would be transmitted to the offspring. The same holds true as to animals which are not true to the color of their breed. While the color plays no important part in the matter