Rabbits: the American Blue and White, info please

[la dee da]

Hey everyone! So I've been researching rabbits for meat on and off for a while now. During my research I came across the American Blue and White. I want to know if anyone has ever had some? Did you breed them for meat? How well did they produce? They were bred for both fur and meat, does this mean they need to be brushed or else the fur will tangle? How well did they do in the heat? I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but any answer would be great!

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Ive had a pair of Blue Americans and I loved them!
They are shorthaired, so no fur tangling.
LIke other rabbit breeders, they fair the cold weather better.
They produced large litters, were docile and the doe was a great mother.
The babies reached marketable weight pretty quickly.

 

[Sachasmom]

I have five of them, just picked up a trio on the American Drift (cross country rabbit exchange thing the breed just did)

I'm just starting breeding them though, so I can't comment on how well they breed, litter size or growth rate. I expect they will need work.

They have a short furred coat, so it won't need brushing. If you're going to be raising rabbits for pelts, there are better choices IMO (Rex or Silver Fox)

There is a yahoo group for the Americans, if you'd like to join that and find breeders in your area or other info about the breed. Just search American rabbits on the yahoo group page.

 

[la dee da]

Thanks for your imputs. It's really a relief to me that the fur doesn't tangle as I really want this breed to be my meat rabbit (probably years from now but i like dreaming

) but didn't want to deal with brushing.

Sachasmom I don't really care for yahoo groups...too confusing to use lol. Thanks anyway

.

ETA: Still looking for more info on them if anyone has it! I'll soak up as much as I can.

 

[la dee da]

Anyone have more info or opinions?

 

[Sachasmom]

I was going to say that a large portion of the American breeders are on the American Yahoo group...

You can join and request to be web only (then you don't get daily emails) I have all my rabbit groups set to digest, instead of individual emails. I don't think the American group is on Facebook (yet) but our Silver Fox club is!

You can try the American Blue and White rabbit club website, http://www.americanrabbits.org/ It doesn't look like they have breeder listings though.

 

[la dee da]

Yahoo groups have websites? I didn't know

. Whenever I tried to go to the websites I couldn't find any of the talk, only the front page info they give about the group. Was I just not looking hard enough?

 

[Sachasmom]

Most of the groups are set so that members only can view the posts? Some of them you can view the posts though.

This is the link to the American group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanRabbits/?yguid=1237438

I think when you click on joining the group, you get three options, email, daily digest or web only?

 

[la dee da]

Well, I joined the group and you're right, I can view the messages now. It's hard to get through all of them to find what I'm looking for though

.

 

[hollandmum]

glad to find this post! We're looking to start breeding american blues, and looking for breeds in NE Ohio or NW Pa who have kids available soonish. Does anyone know if the drift has taken place yet for 2010?

thanks!