Crossbreeding for faster meat growth

[TwoAcreDream]

I have a friend who wants to get started with meat rabbits.
She has already fed her family several rabbits and they liked them.
So now she is just starting to buy a few breeding animals and cages.

Her young buck is a Cal NZ cross. She is thinking about buying a french
angora proven female from me. I think it would be a good cross.
I also have a BIG lionhead proven doe that I think would be a
good rabbit to work with for meat litters. I just recently picked up
a litter of rabbits that the mom is Cal / Flemish and the dad is supposed
to be all Flemish. 3 of the litter LOOK exactly like calis. The other 3
are black with light tips at the ends of the fur. I had them all on a scale
yesterday and the 3 cals outweigh the black ones.
So would these crosses work okay ?

So what would be some other good crosses to work with for fast meat
growth ? My fav is the Cal NZ cross.

 

[grumpy]

Sorry,
But I see none that you mention as being a "good" cross for the table.
F/G's carry far too much bone for a good meat percentage. Plus they are
much slower in reaching their finish weight.

I know nothing about the Angora's only that they were developed with
wool production, not meat production, in mind.

The lion-heads are a "small-breed" are they not. I've never held one.
I've seen a few but that's about the extent of my interactions with them.

Is your friend's buck a 50-50 cross? If so, was it a Cal buck over a NZ doe?
Or vice versa? I've got a 50-50 buck I've used for several years, and he's a
dandy!! He's Cal on his Sire's side and nzw on the doe side. He covers NZW
does only and his youngsters usually beat the rest headed to market weight.

Your favorite is a top of the line choice for most market producers.
The Cal-buck/NZW-doe cross is extremely hard to beat in all categories that matter.
You can use these crossbreds for several years before needing new blood.
I'd try to find another Cal cross doe or a NZW doe and call it good. The NZW's
are the most prevalent around the country and should be easy to acquire.
I'd strongly advise against buying a breeding age doe.
More than quite likely......you're buying someone else's problem. Buy a
junior if possible.
Grumpy.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Is your friend's buck a 50-50 cross? If so, was it a Cal buck over a NZ doe?

Your favorite is a top of the line choice for most market producers.
The Cal-buck/NZW-doe cross is extremely hard to beat in all categories that matter.
Grumpy.

I don't know much about that 5 month old buck she bought. All I know it is a
50 / 50 cross. I will ask her if she can find out what the mother was.
I have 18 purebred calis and a litter due any time now. I tried to talk her
into one of my bucks, but she dosen't like my prices ( I think ).
I told her $ 10 each for the 2 doe I want to sell her.
The angora is a BIG girlie. A proven doe. My friend just likes her. She
asked me what she would get if she crossed that doe with a cali and
I told her "rabbits". I guess I wasn't much help.
She likes the lionhead also. She is way too big for me to keep as
a lionhead breeding animal for my line.

I want her to find some nice NZ does. I have none of those here.
I have some gorgeous cali bucks. Nicest fastest growing young doe
I had came from a NZ mom, and cali buck I paired up. I called her big girl.
I should have kept her but a lady wanted to buy her and asked my price.
and she met my price.

The 6 crosses I just bought will probably all end up as meat rabbits.
If worst comes to worst, I keep the 2 mixed cali does for myself to
experiment with. I asked if the litter had 2 dads and the lady swears
on a stack of bibles, only 1 male was used. My best guess is 2 dads.
That would make those cals 3/4's pure. And the reason I doubt her
so much is that she tells me her grandfather puts rabbits in with
other rabbits. Like the morning, I went to pick up this litter, she had
a brand new litter she knew nothing about. Grampa's was helping behind
her back. She has lots of other nice calis also. I got the tour.

 

[grumpy]

Is your friend's buck a 50-50 cross? If so, was it a Cal buck over a NZ doe?

Your favorite is a top of the line choice for most market producers.
The Cal-buck/NZW-doe cross is extremely hard to beat in all categories that matter.
Grumpy.

I don't know much about that 5 month old buck she bought. All I know it is a
50 / 50 cross. I will ask her if she can find out what the mother was.
I have 18 purebred calis and a litter due any time now. I tried to talk her
into one of my bucks, but she dosen't like my prices ( I think ).
I told her $ 10 each for the 2 doe I want to sell her.
This is an excellent price.

The angora is a BIG girlie. A proven doe. My friend just likes her. She
asked me what she would get if she crossed that doe with a cali and
I told her "rabbits". I guess I wasn't much help.
I love this comment..........classic. I don't often laugh,
but this one gave me a good one. Thanks very much.

She likes the lionhead also. She is way too big for me to keep as
a lionhead breeding animal for my line.

I want her to find some nice NZ does. I have none of those here.
I have some gorgeous cali bucks. Nicest fastest growing young doe
I had came from a NZ mom, and cali buck I paired up. I called her big girl.
I should have kept her but a lady wanted to buy her and asked my price.
and she met my price.
That happened to me, but it was for the entire
rabbitry. I about swallowed my false teeth with the offer he gave.
Two days later, I was out of the rabbit business. """For a short while.""" LOL

The 6 crosses I just bought will probably all end up as meat rabbits.
If worst comes to worst, I keep the 2 mixed cali does for myself to
experiment with. I asked if the litter had 2 dads and the lady swears
on a stack of bibles, only 1 male was used. My best guess is 2 dads.
That would make those cals 3/4's pure. And the reason I doubt her
so much is that she tells me her grandfather puts rabbits in with
other rabbits. Like the morning, I went to pick up this litter, she had
a brand new litter she knew nothing about. Grampa's was helping behind
her back. She has lots of other nice calis also. I got the tour.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Prices for rabbits.......
I had some proven mixed does I let go for $ 15 each. They were real good
mommies and I wanted people to work with them. I have let some rabbits
go for $ 10 each recently. Three young bucks went out for meat. I want
a few more does to leave also. All good animals. Personality and
production wise. I just have some youngsters coming up fast, I want to put
into production in the spring. I need the cage space.

I also sold some for $ 35 each recently. Proven californians. Three of
those, I got back a month later. A swap for 2 and I bought the other one back
for cash. The people wanted small size rabbits to work with for a pet line.

I try to help people get started with rabbits. I give full disclosure on what
they are buying from me. It is working out good, as I get a good number of repeat customers. I'll never get rich doing what I do, but it sures keeps
me busy, and puts a smile on my face every time, I walk into the bunny
room.

 

[grumpy]

With your attitude and outlook, you'll "never" be sorry.

I tell folks all the time, "If it's not something I'd keep for myself, I darned
sure won't sell it to you."

Save/sell only the best, cook the rest. It works out good both ways.

Grumpy

 

[michaels4gardens]

JMHO -- I think ,-that if she thinks $10 is too much for a good doe, she has some lessons to learn if she is going to be very successful working with rabbits. How could someone possibly raise a doe for $10 ??

 

[TwoAcreDream]

JMHO -- I think ,-that if she thinks $10 is too much for a good doe, she has some lessons to learn if she is going to be very successful working with rabbits. How could someone possibly raise a doe for $10 ??

This is a friend I am helping. A recent friendship because of a craiglist ad.
She is still learning prices, etc. I keep telling her that she can eat any
mistakes if the price is low enough and or resell the animal.
The lionhead doe, I paid $ 40 for her and her litter of 6. I have sold the
entire litter, made money on that deal, and if I get $ 10 for the mom, I
am gravy at this point.
The angora is because of a swap deal back in May. I got 3 doe and 1 buck
for a breeding age buck I had here. If I get $ 10 for her from my friend, I
am still ahead. In the meanwhile, the rabbit it taking up cage space I need.
She is too good a mommy rabbit to cull for meat. I want her in a good
future home. I don't have the time to work with angoras. I like them, and
appreciate what they are, but they are not for my setup.

If I walk into a few good deals, then at some point in time, I can help
someone else out with reasonable prices. Like the current situation.