Thought I'd stick my nose in here, where it's not so overwhelming...
Curious for any thoughts on or experience with small breeds for meat? Are they really as chunky as they look/feel? Do their feed:meat and dressouts usually compare decent to their larger counterparts?
I'm really disheartened with what I have now, and toying with the idea of scrapping my breeding projects and turning toward a small breed, since I don't think I can keep up with a large breed herd anymore.
Pictured is a small mutt cull. 12 weeks old, free fed. Yes, it's as small as it looks! 1.5lb or so. While the size kind of makes me laugh, I'm still pretty disappointed. Fasted overnight and liver&heart included, dressouts today averaged 49%, and only 1 of 7 reached 4lb liveweight (that 4 pounder was spared today). They were from a 7.3lb French Angora and a 6.4lb Rex stray that showed up here over fall. While the Rex stray and Mini Rex feel like solid little blocks of meat, my FA are pretty scrawny in comparison. Don't think my starters were very good specimens, but that's what I get for buying craigslist bunnies.
Anyway, mini rex for meat. Thoughts?
Curious for any thoughts on or experience with small breeds for meat? Are they really as chunky as they look/feel? Do their feed:meat and dressouts usually compare decent to their larger counterparts?
I'm really disheartened with what I have now, and toying with the idea of scrapping my breeding projects and turning toward a small breed, since I don't think I can keep up with a large breed herd anymore.
Pictured is a small mutt cull. 12 weeks old, free fed. Yes, it's as small as it looks! 1.5lb or so. While the size kind of makes me laugh, I'm still pretty disappointed. Fasted overnight and liver&heart included, dressouts today averaged 49%, and only 1 of 7 reached 4lb liveweight (that 4 pounder was spared today). They were from a 7.3lb French Angora and a 6.4lb Rex stray that showed up here over fall. While the Rex stray and Mini Rex feel like solid little blocks of meat, my FA are pretty scrawny in comparison. Don't think my starters were very good specimens, but that's what I get for buying craigslist bunnies.
Anyway, mini rex for meat. Thoughts?