Best rabbit breed for eating?

[MNBobcat]

Hi Everyone,

What do you consider to be the best breed of rabbit for eating? Is your favorite based on how they taste or how fast they grow or a little of both?

 

[Jessykah]

New Zealand Californian cross. Good meat to bone ratio, fast growers, great mothers. I would go with white. When butchering, you don't notice it as much if you miss a hair or two on the meat.

 

[pfaubush]

I like Californians and New Zealands. I keep purebred lines of both, but cross the two as well. The Cals always appear smaller than the NZ's when I go out to weigh, but often times, they weigh more than the NZ's. Their muscle just seems to be more compact. I haven't been able to beat the growout rate of the crosses with the purebreds though, except when I use my broken NZ buck.

 

[maluma]

I started with New Zealands and Californians (unfortunately not very successfully so far). I now got a Flemish Giant buck. I'll start crossing them, and eventually might switch completely to Flemish Giants. They are a very big breed, so it seems they should be an excellent choice. Any experiences?

 

[Jessykah]

they take longer to get to the desired weight so I've heard.

 

[Cattle Cait]

I've heard the problem with Flemish Giants is that they grow so much slower, and their meat-bone ratio isn't as good as others because they're very big boned.

I butchered some Harlequins for our own meat, they're definately not a traditional meat breed but they worked fine for me and yielded beautiful pelts! My mom's Palominos have a great dressout percentage and kick rear end as meat pens.

 

[ottersatin]

The Best Breed of meat Rabbit is:
The one that suits your needs.
A smaller breed [Florida White, Dutch, Mini Satin]
will be just as tasty as any of the other larger breeds
but may be just what you need to fit your table.
Flemish Giants being so large boned will require more feed
and cage space to get them to breeding age/prime.
Whatever you choose is a personal choice. I feel that
any of the commercial breeds will work just fine.
Choose a breed that you are attracted to as you may find that
you may want to attend a Show or two in the future.
If that is out of the question, then any mixed breed will serve, :chef:
[No Pun intended] the purpose.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[maluma]

I've heard the problem with Flemish Giants is that they grow so much slower, and their meat-bone ratio isn't as good as others because they're very big boned.

Ah, that makes sense. I'll stick with Flemish/NZ crosses then instead of switching to pure Flemish.

 

[Shara]

I agree with Otter Satin. The best meat breed is whatever you are into. Pick one you LOVE to look at,m pet, snuggle, pay for, lol. They all taste the same, and whatever you get, you better like. Because you will pay for which ever you buy, lol

 

[curlysue]

I have worked with giant breeds and i had more breeding issues than i ever had with smaller breeds.

 

[Apple Cider]

I have worked with giant breeds and i had more breeding issues than i ever had with smaller breeds.

Would you please tell us which breeds you had breeding issues with? And which smaller breeds you prefer? Thanks.

 

[hoodat]

Just a personal preference but I prefer mixed breeds. I know the common wisdom is that inbreeding doesn't matter that much with rabbits but I still like the idea of avoiding it as much as possible.