New Zealand Whites are the best for meat if you are selling meat for a profit because they have the best Feed Conversion Ratio. People often breed them with other rabbits for more hybrid vigor but I suggest waiting until you know exactly what you are doing before you get that far unless its just convenient to buy a California Male after you bought a New Zealand female. Since Meat is likely not your top concern here and you want to sell some as pets, New Zealand Whites are not the best breed for selling pet rabbits because they eat a lot and pets do not need to be so meaty. People actually will not pay a lot for New Zealand Whites as pets because meat rabbit folks sell them for $10 a rabbit around here. I am in your boat and I choose Rex Rabbits because they have pet value, meat value and fur value. If one area fails me I have others to fall back on. However Rex Rabbits have their downfall, I really can not raise a standard rex on wire flooring because sore hocks are more likely although many people do raise them on wire floor with no problems. I just want to play it safe because sore hocks in a rabbit will depress me.
If I liked spinning Yarn I would get Angora Rabbits, I actually wish I knew someone who wanted rabbit wool to spin into yarn because I like the idea of combing rabbits for their fur than killing them for fur.
I've thought about raising animals for meat at some point down the road...it may be tough because I'm such a big animal lover, but I've been learning to toughen up, particularly through my duck flock. Either way, there's no better way to learn more about rabbits than through experienced people! That's why I love this thread.
