Hello!

When I started raising rabbits in 1993, it seemed hard to understand the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Standard of Perfection. All of the terms seemed overwhelming as I tried to decipher the Standard without prior knowledge. I didn’t know what to look for in a good rabbit. After much time working with 4-H clubs, with the Michigan State Rabbit Breeders Youth Association (MSRBYA), and with new exhibitors, I see that this area still needs more work.

While at the show table, the terms and phrases used by the judges were difficult to understand as well. Hearing many times a rabbit is flat, hippy, chopped, pinched, undercut, peaks too far forward, or lacks depth, I decided to learn what the terms really meant. While showing in state and national sweepstakes circuits, I have had to learn what to select in body type in order to be competitive.

In this CD you will learn how to select rabbits with superior body type. This is desirable for many reasons. You will be more confident in your culling decisions. You will better understand what a judge is talking about or what a judge is doing when handling your rabbit. By learning what to look for in superior body type, you will have a better idea of what to buy. The breed of rabbit used in this CD is the New Zealand. Although this breed has commercial body type and is a large breed, it is one of the best breeds to learn with. The body type described can be used for most commercial and compact breeds. The knowledge acquired from this CD can be applied to many breeds.

Good luck!

David C. Moll
ARBA Registrar
Former President MSRBYA
4-H Judge