Most breeders lose track of critical data way before they realize it's a problem. Here are the 5 most common mistakes I see:

1. Not recording litter outcomes beyond count. You need to track individual kit weights, colors, and genotypes. A "litter of 8" tells you nothing about genetic progress.

2. Relying on memory for pedigrees past 3 generations. By generation 4-5, you're guessing. And guessing leads to accidental inbreeding and COI problems.

3. Skipping health records between vet visits. Daily observations — appetite changes, fur condition, behavior — are the early warning system. By the time you need a vet, it's often too late.

4. No system for tracking which bucks produce which traits. Your best buck isn't the one with the best phenotype — it's the one who consistently throws the traits you're breeding for. You can't know that without data.

5. Paper records that live in one place. If your barn notebook gets wet, gets lost, or you're at a show and need a pedigree — you're stuck.

I built Pet-a-Breed to solve exactly these problems. Free pedigree tracking, health records, and AI-powered genetic insights for rabbit breeders.

The free plan covers the basics. Premium ($20/year) unlocks AI trait predictions, recessive carrier detection, and smart pairing recommendations.

If you're serious about improving your herd, your records are the foundation.