How to pick a good meat rabbit...

[UnlabeledMama]

I have been told that the giant breeds do not make good meat rabbits due to large bones and slow growth. There is a bit of a debate about Flemish Giant crosses (with NZ or California, etc). But I have a FG doe and I'm going to try it.

 

[itsjustme]

I too heard that FGs are not good for meat bc of being bigger boned but have not heard they grow slow. Iv actually read the opposite. I believe I read they will cross breed them to ACs or. NZ etc to make bigger rabbits that grow faster. But maybe I have it backwards?lol I may just get a pair to start with and just see. And if you start breeding soon let me no how it works for you please.

 

[yankeehill]

Have you thought about raising Silver Foxes?

 

[chickery-do]

I'm finding this very interesting and I don't want to miss out on anything. Thanks and keep it coming!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I have found for me that it's not always live weight that matters. Here's an example.

I own NZWs mostly. They tend to hit 4lbs at 10-11 weeks. This isn't "bad" but it's not the 5lbs I'm always told they "should" be.
I also own a rex that I cross to my NZWs so I can get different colors of fur because I'm all girly like that. My first litter of rex had two boys that reached 5lbs in 11 weeks.

When I dress down my NZWs I get some INCREDIBLE dressage ratios. This sounds crazy but I have dressed down a buck weighing just under 4lbs to just over 3lbs of meat not including the edible organs. Throw the kidneys and liver in there and that's an 82% dressage ratio. It's unprecedented. Some people have told me it's impossible, but it happened. And my kits regularly get 3lbs carcass out of a rabbit around 4lbs.
When I dressed down the rex crosses they were 5lbs live weight, but only 2.8lbs dressed, no organs. That's not very good at all. It's just over half. I put the same amount of feed into those rabbits, and they got bigger, but I got less meat out of them too, total. They weighed a whole pound more but dressed out to a few ounces LESS meat.

So keep in mind; what is it your rabbit puts their growth into? In the case of my Rex crosses, their skin and coats are incredible and thick and should be amazing for tanning. In the case of breeds like Giant breeds, it's mostly bone. In the case of breeds like Palominos, almost ALL of the feed goes into meat. In the case of NZWs and Californians it can actually go either way. Some will dress down terribly because they were from fur or show lines, some will dress down incredibly because they are from strong meat lines. Both breeds are bred for a few different purposes.

So ask the breeders if they eat their rabbits, what sort of dressage rates they get and how big they get within 10-12 weeks. Look at the rabbits and feel them for HEAVY muscle and low fat. They should weigh more than they look like they do when you pick them up, and it should be SOLID and TIGHT, not loose and mushy. That's going to be a better meat rabbit than ones that are soft and squishy and cuddly.

 

[oesdog]

Here is a good link that may help you to choose!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/meat-rabbit-breeds.html

Good luck - it is something I want to do in the future as well and have a big interest in raising my own food.
So I hope this works out for you. Culling a rabbit is a lot easier than a Chicken. If you hold it up by the back legs get a good bit of wood and a firm swipe to the back of the neck will kill it instantly. Never pick a rabbit up by the ears or the neck like you would a kitten - A rabbits neck is very easily broken and you will need to support its weight carefully. However this does help when the time comes to despatch when you want to.

Oes - Dutch Black and Whites are a good meat bunny.

 

[bhaugh]

As someone who has raised dogs for years (I know your asking about rabbits) you need to find a breeder that specializes in meat production. Like anything else we breed, genetics is what makes what we want viable. I would stick to the meat rabbits then find a breeder who raises them for meat and sells. It takes time to find the lines you like to produce the quality of meat you want. Trying to buy rabbits and putting them together is a waste of time and money. I used to raise mini rex. Not good for meat but their pelts were to die for and their sweet temperament made them nice pets.

Just like with the chickens we buy, much time and effort has gone into breeding chickens for show, egg production, meat. There are no short cuts. Find a breeder with quality stock and start your program. Be careful when buying NZ whites however as some will try and sell them purchased from labs. Ive come across this over the years and I would not feel comfortable eating rabbits from stock that has been tested on.

Barb

 

[AK Baha]

I'm interested in the responses too, we are looking to start raising rabbits for meat in the next few months. Not sure what breed I want to go with yet either.

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