Raising our New Zealand Meat Rabbits *Start to finish - Birth to processing* Possible Graphic pics*

[Bunnylady]

From the ARBA standard: "Eye stains or colored spots confined to the dewlap are permissible."

As regards Grand Champions - a rabbit that wins in a class of at least 5 rabbits owned by at least 3 people wins a grand champion leg. So if you and I have a total of 8 Jr. Bucks entered in a show and that's the whole class, the winner of the class doesn't get a GC leg, but if one of the rabbits I am showing is entered in my husband's name, it does (even if he isn't at the show). A rabbit needs to win 3 Grand Champion legs (at least one of the legs needs to have been won as a senior, and all of the wins can't be under the same judge), and be registered, to become a Grand Champion. The show secretary will send you a certificate when your rabbit wins a leg at a show.

In order to be registered, a rabbit needs to have a complete, 3 generation pedigree. The owner needs to be a current member in good standing with the ARBA. When the rabbit is at least 6 months old, the owner gets the rabbit to a registrar. The registrar will examine the rabbit as a judge would for a class, weighing it and making sure it is free of DQ's. The owner pays the registration fee, the registrar puts his mark in the rabbit's right ear, and the form gets sent off to the ARBA. Within a couple of weeks, the ARBA will send you a certificate that states that the rabbit is registered.

Send the completed GC leg certificates (which should include the rabbit's registration number) plus the fee to the ARBA secretary, and they will send you back a certificate that indicates that your rabbit is a Grand Champion. Since a lot of clubs hold double and triple shows these days, it is possible for a good rabbit to become a Grand Champion in one show, by beating the same half-dozen rabbits each time (though this doesn't happen very often).

 

[CrookdBeak13]

Well...it turns out the NZW Doe I got in my "Breeding pair" is a BUCK!!!! Should've seen the anger he had when it got put in with the other buck for attempted breeding. Going to be trading him tomorrow for a doe the same age and breed her as soon as she is out of quarantine! Re bred the Cali doe on Monday and the NZWxFG was successful at least twice, but just for reassurance I put her in again today, and she wouldn't even lift her tail! Now the countdown for kits begins.

 

[Angelicisi]

Oh my! Yes, it happens happy to hear they are exchanging!

Well...it turns out the NZW Doe I got in my "Breeding pair" is a BUCK!!!! Should've seen the anger he had when it got put in with the other buck for attempted breeding. Going to be trading him tomorrow for a doe the same age and breed her as soon as she is out of quarantine! Re bred the Cali doe on Monday and the NZWxFG was successful at least twice, but just for reassurance I put her in again today, and she wouldn't even lift her tail! Now the countdown  for kits begins.

 

[CrookdBeak13]

Oh my! Yes, it happens

happy to hear they are exchanging!

Actually- they aren't!!! They unfortunately didn't have any available at this time, and I don't want to wait for a baby to be a breeder right now, so I posted him on Craigslist for what I paid for him. Someone in my area had a doe the same age that was kept as a potential breeder, but apparently they need a buck from a different blood line. So we are making the trade tomorrow. Going to keep her in quarantine to be sure there are no problems then breed her right away!! Will be sure to check the bits and make SURE its a doe this time!!!

 

[Crickett]

Barley had 9 new wiggles this morning. Bridey had 4 on Saturday. Looks like we'll be having plenty of rabbit this fall!

 

[Angelicisi]

Awwww, well I'm glad you at least found one close! I try to keep a few holdbacks for each sex from each litter for emergency needs. Last season, my whole area was out of bucks! I couldn't believe people were fighting over bucks and I had extra does

Do you breed for meat? I'll be processing soon and was going to document it to share because we are new at that part. Figured peeps could weigh in and help us out if we are doing somethin wrong! Goodness I hope not! We processed a couple and went ok, want it to be easy tho lol
Next month I have a customer picking up a large order of chickens and a few rabbits. We will be processing about 6-9 rabbit bucks I've been raising on garden food we grow by request. They are beautiful tho! the bucks we "culled" from breeding on this diet thrived and are just so sweet and so handsome I was expecting to process the meanies. But customer was specific and as long as they were healthy we obliged, and they're healthy all right! We feed them from the organic gardens, sprouted hay dried, mixed fresh greens, carrot tops, pea plants, melons, berry bushes, berries and a mixed herb salad daily. Hardest part is opening cages at feeding time they almost fly thru the sir to get their meals lol

Actually- they aren't!!! They unfortunately didn't have any available at this time, and I don't want to wait for a baby to be a breeder right now, so I posted him on Craigslist for what I paid for him. Someone in my area had a doe the same age that was kept as a potential breeder, but apparently they need a buck from a different blood line. So we are making the trade tomorrow. Going to keep her in quarantine to be sure there are no problems then breed her right away!! Will be sure to check the bits and make SURE its a doe this time!!!

 

[Angelicisi]

babies! Yay!
My summer born babies make the best breeders so far I hope their summer babies do too!

Barley had 9 new wiggles this morning. Bridey had 4 on Saturday. Looks like we'll be having plenty of rabbit this fall!

 

[SA Farm]

Where is everybody?

 

[Crickett]

I'll be processing some next month. I've never done it by myself. Wish me luck!

 

[Angelicisi]

Been busy! Keeping everything cool and clean. I'll be processing 8 for an order in august also. Share your experience when you do! I will try and document the process we use and post it too.

We've grown a bit recently. We bought a building to make into a new rabbitry. It will hold 60 cages. Have been working on the foundation, cutting down some trees that were on their way down, too close for comfort and building cages. bunnies are ready to move!
It was nice having spring litters from multiple lines to make trios and pairs as well as meat. We are growing out 9 additional sets of rabbits to breed before being sold and we have held back 4 bucks and 12 does for our own herd.
Whew gonna be a busy busy fall!