Pedigrees for a whole litter in one print
Every kit in a litter has the same sire and dam, so they all share the same ancestors. Record the litter once with its dam, sire and date, add each kit with its own ear number, sex, variety and weight, and print a pedigree for every kit in one run: the ancestors are identical and only the top block changes. In your herd, record the litter, then choose Pedigrees for a whole litter in the pedigree maker.
Why litters are where pedigrees get expensive
A single pedigree is quick to write. A litter is not: every kit needs the same 14, 30 or 62 ancestors copied again, and every copy is a chance to transpose an ear number. Breeders who sell a litter of six at four generations are copying 180 ancestor boxes that say the same thing.
Linking fixes this at the source. The kits are linked to the dam and sire, the dam and sire are already linked to theirs, and every kit's chart is read from the same records. Correct a grandparent's weight once and every kit's pedigree is correct.
Recording the litter
- Make sure the dam and the sire are in the herd with their own parents linked.
- Open the Litters tab in your herd and record a litter: species, dam, sire, kindling date and number born.
- Add the kits as new blank records, or tick kits already in the herd. New kits take the dam, the sire, the breed and the date from the litter.
- When the kits are tattooed and sexed, fill in each one's ear number, sex, variety and weight.
- Print the litter pedigrees, and the litter record for your own files.
The litter record prints the dam, the sire, the date and one row per kit with columns for weaning weight and where it went, plus a blank row for each kit born but not yet recorded.
Worked example: four kits, one set of ancestors
The demo herd's rabbit litter has 4 kits: Clover, Thistle, Sorrel, Fennel. At four generations each pedigree has 30 ancestor boxes, so writing them by hand means 120 boxes. Recorded as a litter, the only links typed were the dam and the sire, and each kit's chart comes out with the same 29 of 30 boxes filled.
Printing Pedigrees for a whole litter gives four sheets, one per page, each with its own name, ear number, sex, variety and weight at the top and the identical ancestor chart below. Try it on the demo herd in the pedigree maker.
Common mistakes
- Printing kit pedigrees before the kits are tattooed. The ear number is the kit's identity; print once it exists.
- Adding a kit to the litter that came from a different doe. The kit takes the litter's dam and sire, so the wrong kit gets the wrong pedigree.
- Recording the number born as the number raised. Keep both: the litter record has a column for each kit and blank rows for the rest.
- Handing out pedigrees for kits whose sire is uncertain. If a doe was exposed to two bucks, record the sire as unknown.
Make the pedigree now
Type one pedigree by hand and print it, or explore the demo herd to see ancestors fill themselves in. Your herd stays in this browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no account.
Frequently asked questions
Do littermates have the same pedigree?
They share every ancestor, so the ancestor chart is identical. Only the details at the top differ: each kit's own name, ear number, sex, variety, weight and later its registration number.
Can I print litter pedigrees for cavies and kittens too?
Yes. A litter can be recorded for rabbits, cavies or cats, and the print uses the right words for each species.
What if I sell one kit before the others are tattooed?
Print that kit's pedigree on its own from the pedigree maker, and print the rest of the litter later. Nothing is lost by printing in stages.
Sources
Last reviewed 27 September 2026 against:
- How to Register a Rabbit or Cavy, American Rabbit Breeders Association, revised 17 July 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: What registration asks of the animal and of its three generation pedigree, the registrar's examination, the right ear registration mark, and typed pedigrees attached to the application.
- Official Show Rules, American Rabbit Breeders Association, effective 10 December 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The permanent ear mark in the left ear for rabbits, ear marks or ear tags for cavies, and grand champion legs.
- 4-H Rabbit Production Record (761-00R), Oregon State University Extension Service, May 2014, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The pedigree block a 4-H member keeps, and the definition of the breeder as the owner of the doe when she was bred.
This guide is our own summary, not a registry's rule book. If it disagrees with the current documents, the documents win. Hutchline is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the American Rabbit Breeders Association, the American Cavy Breeders Association, The International Cat Association, the Cat Fanciers' Association or any other registry or breed club.