Three, four and five generation pedigrees
A three generation pedigree shows 14 ancestors (parents, grandparents and great-grandparents) and is the depth rabbit and cavy registration asks for. A four generation pedigree shows 30 ancestors and a five generation one shows 62. Choose three for registration and pet sales, four for most show stock, and five when a buyer wants to see a linebred family in full. The pedigree maker prints all three depths from the same records.
How the boxes add up
| Depth | New boxes in the last column | Ancestor boxes in total | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 generations | 8 great-grandparents | 14 | Registration, pet and 4-H sales |
| 4 generations | 16 great-great-grandparents | 30 | Show stock and breeding stock |
| 5 generations | 32 in the fifth column | 62 | Linebred families, serious buyers |
Each extra generation doubles the last column. That is why a blank template gets unwieldy past four generations, and why typing the same ancestors for every kit becomes the real cost of a deep pedigree.
Choosing a depth
Registration asks for a complete three generation pedigree, so three is the floor for anything that may be registered. A deeper pedigree is not more official, it simply shows more. Deeper generations are also where unknown ancestors pile up, so a five generation chart with many Unknown boxes can tell a buyer less than a clean three generation one.
Depth also changes the inbreeding estimate. The coefficient is computed only from the ancestors on the chart, so a deeper chart can find common ancestors a shallow one misses.
Blank templates versus a linked herd
A blank three, four or five generation template is fine for one animal. The trouble starts with the second kit of the litter, when every box has to be copied again, and with the first correction, when every copy has to be found. A linked herd turns the template around: each ancestor is typed once, in one record, and every chart that includes it is drawn from that record. Keep your animals in your herd and the depth becomes a menu choice at print time rather than a new template.
Worked example: the same doe at three depths
| Depth | Boxes recorded | Ancestors appearing more than once | Inbreeding estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 generations | 14 of 14 | 1 | 3.13 percent |
| 4 generations | 29 of 30 | 5 | 5.47 percent |
| 5 generations | 54 of 62 | 12 | 8.2 percent |
At three generations the chart is complete and only Oakley repeats. At five generations 54 of 62 boxes are known, 12 ancestors repeat, and the estimate rises from 3.13 percent to 8.2 percent, with the largest shares through Oakley (3.13 percent), Granite (1.17 percent), Alder (0.78 percent). Nothing about Clover changed: the deeper chart simply sees more of her line. The sample below is her three generation pedigree exactly as the pedigree maker prints it.
Sample: a three generation pedigree from the demo herd
Invented animals from the demo herd, printed by the same component the pedigree maker uses.
The chart is wider than a phone: scroll it sideways to see every generation.
Demo Rabbitry
Invented records for trying the pedigree maker
Rabbit pedigree3 generations
- Name
- Clover
- Ear number (tattoo)
- MR52
- Breed
- Mini Rex
- Variety
- Castor
- Sex
- Doe
- Born
- 14 June 2026
- Weight
- 2 lb 9 oz
- Registration
- Not recorded
- Grand champion number
- Not recorded
- Breeder
- Demo Rabbitry
- Owner
- Not recorded
Common mistakes
- Printing five generations with a third of the boxes Unknown. Choose the depth your records actually support; at four generations Clover's chart has 29 of 30 boxes known.
- Treating a deeper pedigree as more official. Depth shows more of the line; it does not change what the paper is.
- Comparing inbreeding figures computed at different depths. Say how many generations a figure used.
- Using a template that puts dams on the upper line. Keep sires above dams in every pair so charts can be read side by side.
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
How many ancestors are on a 4 generation pedigree?
Thirty: 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents and 16 great-great-grandparents. A 3 generation pedigree has 14 and a 5 generation pedigree has 62.
Is a 5 generation pedigree better for registration?
No. Registration asks for a complete three generation pedigree. Extra generations are welcome information, but they do not replace a missing box in the first three.
Can I print a blank 3, 4 or 5 generation template?
Yes, at three or four generations: choose Type one by hand, pick the depth and print. The sire and dam print as Unknown and the boxes behind them print blank, ready to fill in by pen.
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.
- Inbreeding: Its Meaning, Uses and Effects on Farm Animals (G2911), University of Missouri Extension, reviewed March 2021, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Wright's path formula for the coefficient of inbreeding and the textbook values for common matings.
- Coefficients of inbreeding and relationship, The American Naturalist, volume 56, pages 330 to 338, published 1922, bibliographic record read 27 September 2026. Used for: The original definition of the coefficient of inbreeding used for the estimate.
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.