Best Meat Rabbits??

[CoopCrazy]

I am going to be raising meat rabbits this year and am wondering the best breed for meat.. I also want my kids to be able to play with them so I dont want aggressive rabbits.. Any ideas are greatly appreciatted.. Also when should I start? Could I do rabbits in the winter.. i put this in meat etc so as not to offend others.. i hope it is the correct place..

 

[duck walk]

when I was doing that, I raised New Zealands, solid white with red eyes...and then added Californians...white with black ears...my first New Zealand was a pet who lived in the house, was leash trained and loved to bathe in the toilet...he was a trip...it was several years later that I raised them for the freezer...thinking of adding a few around here...got the time and the know how...

 

[EweSheep]

I had better luck with Californians...big meaty rabbits!

We did have some Calif. crosses (mutt rabbits) and they came out pretty good but not as big as their father, the CA. The mommas are mixed, some were light grey and some were white with black spots. We only had them for about three years before we finally decided to get out of them....they were my sister's project 4H rabbits.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Thanks I was thinking the same thing.. They have a good size as well... Maybe I'll have to look at the Californias.. Any ideas on breeding in the winter??? Its been so long since Ive had rabbits I cant remeber....

 

[Engteacher]

Yes, New Zealand and Californias are the most popular meat rabbits.

 

[Buster52]

Brazilians, from my research, because they can forage and are more resistant to cocci. But they are very hard to come by.

I'm getting some Polyface rabbits in a few weeks, from the lines bred up by Daniel Salatin to have the same qualities, as I plan to raise the fryers on pasture.

 

[CoopCrazy]

I'll have to look at the Brazilians.. Mine will be wire cage raised not pastured as we have too many predators and i plan to do redworms under their cages...

 

[skinnyguinea]

I just got a small heard together. NZW does and A calif buck. got the first doe bread yesterday> hope they do good. used to use a calif flemish cross for a buck that was many moons ago. they did good. I can not find that cross as of yet, and they want 80 bucks for a flemish G around here

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
what area are you in ???

 

[kota1369]

I recommend Florida Whites. They are are smaller then the California or the New Zealands by far but they eat far less and are like blocks of meat with little bone. Because of size they also take up less room but have the high yields....... Look them up. They are quite interesting.