Rabbit meat is a tasty and healthy product that will appeal to many gourmets. And if you look from the point of view of the farmer, it is also a very convenient product for sale, which diverges quickly and at a good price. Therefore, meat rabbits have become very popular among breeders, as it is convenient and profitable to breed them. But for beginners who are just starting to think about this business, it is difficult to choose the right breed. Therefore, they should first look at the list of varieties of these animals.
Rabbits of meat breeds
Selection of rabbit meat breed
Rabbits of all breeds can be used as a source of delicious and dietary meat. The only exceptions are decorative varieties. But in order to get the maximum profit, it is necessary to breed animals bred specifically for meat, not skins. There are also meat-and-hide animals, and even animals of hide productivity. And they will not be able to get much meat. There are several factors that you should pay attention to when choosing a breed of meat rabbits:
- The quality of the meat obtained. Almost every rabbit has meat that tastes good and is good for health. But there are breeds that give a more delicious and delicate product. And their carcasses can be sold for a great price.
- Weight gain rate. Depending on how quickly animals gain slaughter weight, the cost of caring for them to achieve productivity also depends. And also the speed of product implementation is directly related to this parameter. Those animals that gain mass more slowly are not so profitable for maintenance.
- Sizes of rabbits. There are several breeds that are really big. These giants reach a mass of 6-7 kg, and they have an excellent lethal yield. Sometimes these animals are not meat, but meat-skin varieties.
- Early maturity. The faster these animals reproduce, the larger the offspring, and the higher the profit received. For meat rabbits, this parameter is very important. Although these animals breed quickly, some breed faster than others.
- Resistance to infectious and fungal diseases. There are many unpleasant diseases that can destroy up to 80-90% of the total number of rabbits. And it is better for a beginner to give preference to those varieties that better resist these ailments. Such resistance makes it easier to breed animals.
In addition to all these factors, you should also pay attention to which animals will best adapt to a given area. And you should also see which breeds of rabbits for breeding for meat can be purchased. Some species are not available or rare in a number of regions, and you have to buy those animals that are available. In any case, before buying, it is worth looking at the description of the breed, and consulting with experienced breeders. Perhaps they can advise a worthwhile variety.
Description of individual breeds of meat rabbits
It is difficult to single out the best meat breeds of rabbits. All of them have their own advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose based on your own preferences. For one farmer, medium-sized, but early maturing animals are suitable, capable of gaining slaughter weight at high speed. And another breeder will choose meat-skin animals that are large in size, but at the same time have an average rate of weight gain. Here is a comparison chart that describes some of the varieties of rabbits:
Breed name | Live weight of the rabbit | Slaughter exit | Number of babies in the litter | Skin color |
Gray giant | 4 to 7 kilograms | 55-57% | 7 to 11 pieces | Dark gray color |
Soviet Chinchilla | 4 to 8 kilograms | 55-58% | 6 to 8 pieces | Silver gray, various shades possible |
New Zealand white rabbits | 4 to 6 kilograms | 53-59% | 8 to 11 pieces | Pure white coat color |
California breed | 4 to 6 kilograms | 56-60% | 8 to 12 pieces | White coat with a black muzzle, ears and paws |
Flanders or Belgian giant | 5 to 12 kilograms | 53-55% | 5 to 8 pieces | Black, white, shades of gray, red and beige |
White giant | 4 to 8 kilograms | 54-57% | 6 to 9 pieces | Only pure snow-white color allowed |
These are not all breeds that can be bred at home. In principle, the farmer should remember that meat-and-meat and meat breeds of rabbits are the best for breeding, at least for beginning livestock breeders. Special attention should be paid to those varieties that were bred in Russia and Ukraine. They are best adapted to local conditions. And it is also among them that there are many of the largest specimens, which really give a lot of tasty and healthy product.
The largest varieties of rabbits
The largest rabbits are usually found not among meat, but among meat-skin varieties. The names of these breeds are well known to professional breeders. It is worth comparing them with the classic representatives of the meat production direction. Firstly, they do not grow so fast and gain weight, which is why they consume a little more feed for their breeding. On the other hand, the monthly growth lag is compensated by obtaining not only carcasses, but also medium or high quality pelts.
Unfortunately, the carcass of meat-skin rabbits is not too fleshy, and in terms of slaughter yield they are inferior to representatives of meat varieties. And fur and skin in quality are not able to compete with the product obtained from the breeds of the skinning direction. But, despite the lag in growth by months, and the average quality of the product, it is more convenient for a beginner to work with these animals. They are quite unpretentious and easy to maintain, which is why they sometimes outperform fast-growing but demanding grooming breeds for profit.
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Flandre rabbit breed
Flanders is also called the Belgian giant, and it was used in breeding a number of other meat and meat-hide breeds. It is usually referred to as meat-skin varieties, because, as in the quality of the skin, and in terms of lethal output, it is not a record holder among representatives of its direction of production. But Flandre sets records for weight and overall body dimensions. Some representatives are capable of reaching a mass equal to 12 kilograms. On average, these animals weigh 7-8 kilograms in adulthood.
The characteristic differences of this variety are a massive and powerful body, and a large head in relation to the body. Given the overall size of the animal, these differences stand out a lot against the general background. The color of the Belgians is plain, white, black, various shades of gray, red or beige. Different animals from the same litter may have different shades of fur. But no matter how large this breed is, it has a number of its serious shortcomings, which should also be paid attention to.
First, the Belgian giants take a long time to mature, and, if you look at the months, the masses of a mature animal reach only at the age of 8-9 months. And early slaughter does not bring benefits, since the slaughter yield at a young age is less than that of an adult rabbit. The second problem that breeders of these animals are faced with is their exactingness on the conditions of detention. They need clean, spacious and comfortable rabbitries, otherwise the livestock will begin to die. Finally, these animals are very demanding on the quality and quantity of food received.
Rabbit breed Gray Giant
Among large breeds of meat-and-pelletic direction, gray giants are still worth noting. They were bred on the territory of Ukraine in the 50s of the twentieth century. Representatives of this species are suitable for beginner rabbit breeders, as they do not require separate care and are easily adapted to local conditions. Females of this breed weigh, on average, 4.5-5 kilograms, and males - 6 kilograms. At the same time, individual representatives can grow up to 7 kilograms of live weight.
Although gray giants belong to meat-and-pellet breeds, the quality of their skins is at an average level. According to this parameter, they are inferior to rabbits of any skin variety. On the other hand, a large area skin can be obtained from one animal, which is why many farmers value them. In terms of meat quality and slaughter yield, they are somewhat inferior to most meat breeds. These animals differ in average early maturity, but they reproduce quickly, and perfectly look after their own offspring.
Rabbit breed Soviet Chinchilla
A novice is able to confuse Soviet Chinchilla and Gray Giant. These two breeds have a similar appearance, weight and skin color. But at the same time, the chinchilla is capable of reaching a greater mass, and it has a slightly better lethal yield. In fact, this variety is perhaps the most convenient for breeding by beginner rabbit breeders. Although in different forums on this subject, you can find different opinions. By the age of 120 days, the average weight of young animals is 3.5 kilograms, and he is already ready for slaughter.
The Soviet chinchilla has a decent slaughter yield, and very tasty and tender meat, which can be implemented without problems. And thoroughbred representatives are able to boast of high quality furs and skins. Moreover, the longer these animals grow, the more meat and skins they give. Therefore, not only expense increases over the months, but also potential profit. The weak side of breeding these large animals is nutrition. They need only fresh and high-quality food, otherwise they will begin to hurt and die.
Rabbit Breed White Giant
When breeding these animals, representatives of the Flandre breed were used, which has already been described. In addition to them, representatives of various other breeds were used, which were united by one important circumstance. All rabbits used in breeding were albinos, which affected the color of this variety. All animals have a pure white color of fur, and any deviations are considered a serious marriage. Only animals with snow-white hair are allowed for breeding.
In terms of the quality of the skins and fur, the White Giant rabbits resemble the Soviet chinchilla, and are just as capable of competing with the fur varieties. They also have excellent meat quality, which is why their breeders are selling excellent carcasses and skins. How these animals look can be seen in the photo and video. The classic white coat and red eyes of an albino will be easily recognized even by a beginner. But, no matter how good this breed is, it has its own drawbacks that make it not the most convenient for beginners.
Firstly, the White Giant does not differ in high fertility and early maturity. The price for high quality meat is low growth rates. Slaughter usually takes place no earlier than 7-8 months of life, in order for the animal to gain weight. Secondly, in one litter there is rarely a large number of rabbits. And therefore, the health of young animals must be closely monitored. Finally, the representatives of this breed have a congenital predisposition to a number of diseases. And therefore, caring for them sometimes causes certain difficulties.
Classic meat breeds of rabbits
The classic meat breeds of rabbits, contrary to popular belief, are often not large in size. The question here is not how much they weigh, but how fast they are gaining slaughter mass. Moreover, these animals usually do not live long with farmers. Breeding individuals are kept up to 3-3.5 years old, and those that are slaughtered for meat - from 2 to 8 months. The main advantage of the varieties of this direction is their early maturity and lethal yield. Here are some examples of classic meat rabbits:
- New Zealand white breed
- New Zealand red breed
- California rabbits
- European silver
- Poltava silver
These animals have a lower body mass than those of the giants that have already been described. But on the other hand, they are capable of gaining slaughter weight by 3-5 months of life, which is why it is very profitable to breed them for meat. They are also valued for the quality of the carcass, which is always easy to sell. The pelts of these animals can also be used for sale, but they are usually less valuable than pelts of other varieties. Even with high quality fur, the skin area of a meat rabbit is relatively small.
California breed of rabbits
These animals have a long list of qualities that make them highly valued by professional farmers in the USA and Europe. Californians, despite their relatively low body weight (4.5-5 kilograms on average), are able to quickly gain weight. Young growth is often sent to slaughter already at the age of 3-4 months. And they reach puberty only 1-2 months later. Moreover, in one litter there are at least 8 rabbits. Their small size allows these pets to be kept in medium-sized rabbitries.
The growth rate of Californian rabbits amazes those accustomed to large, late-maturing varieties. By the end of the second month of life, young animals weigh, on average, 2 kilograms. And thanks to the light skeleton and excellent qualities of the carcass, already at the 3rd month of life, they have a lethal output at the level of adult representatives. Californians are also very undemanding to maintenance and disease resistant. And these qualities were noticed and appreciated by professionals. Here is what they write about this on the forums:
“Recently, we often come across announcements -“ Selling California rabbits ”. And the demand for rabbits of this breed is very high. The thing is that both amateurs and specialists have realized all the benefits of breeding these meat animals. They have everything a breeder needs. Californians are early, fertile, have a high lethal yield, unpretentiousness and good health. That is why in the USA this breed, along with New Zealand white animals, is the basis of meat rabbit breeding. "
New Zealand white rabbit breed
It is worth mentioning right away that there is also a New Zealand red breed, from which white New Zealanders were bred about a century ago. They have a similar constitution, body weight, early maturity and fertility. Only red animals have a bright red coat and less unpretentiousness. White New Zealanders weigh, on average, 4-5 kilograms, and are not large animals. But then they quickly gain mass, and are distinguished by delicious and dietary meat. And they also have a high quality white skin.
These animals were taken as the basis for the breeding of the California breed. For this reason, they are similar in size, weight and a number of other parameters. Even the New Zealanders have a very good lethal yield and decent meat qualities. By the third month of life, they reach a mass equal to 2.4-3 kilograms. And at this age they are often already sent to slaughter. Breeding New Zealanders is also profitable because they are quite fertile. Bunnies rarely bring less than 8 babies per litter.
Another advantage of the breed is their ability to adapt to various conditions of detention. After they were brought to Russia, they easily adapted to local conditions.Even in cold regions, they can be kept in cages with slatted or mesh floors. This facilitates the cleaning and maintenance of livestock. These animals are also distinguished by good health, and are not susceptible to diseases. With timely vaccination, the rabbit breeder will not have problems in this matter.
Conclusion
All meat breeds of rabbits can be divided into essentially two broad categories. One category is meat-skin animals, which are large and heavy. And the second one is relatively small rabbits, whose main characteristics are early maturity and fertility. And you can choose a breed for breeding of any type. It is only important that it be adapted to local conditions and moderately unpretentious. Then breeding rabbits will certainly become profitable, with the right approach.