Since most of mine (Cal, NZW, Rex) are of the commercial body type, my cull list is similar to yours:
General type and health: Narrow body, long or low shoulders, pinched hindquarters, cow hocks, recurrent sore hocks or mastitis
Meat characteristics: regular litters less than 7, not raising at least 75% of the litter to weaning, poor mothering skills (nest building, feeding), poor milk production, inability to tolerate at LEAST a 28 day breed back schedule.
I expect mine (with the exception of the Rex, which take a bit longer to mature) to look like little bricks of meat by 6-8 weeks. If they don't, then I don't keep or sell them for breeding, they go in the pot. If they meet my criteria, and are as good as what I have, I will sell them. If they meet my criteria and are better than what I have, I keep them for my own breeding program.
For the Am. Blues, I am not sure yet since I just got them and they are only 10wks old....we shall see
__________ Fri Jul 20, 2012 3:40 pm __________
Piper":3f1rxxhf said:
I agree. I am actually 'still on the fence' about Altex. Some of the purebreds have been bred for their fine quality meat. Just because an Altex is great as an terminal cross (and for survival farms) does not mean that it would be gourmet quality. I am using "Rex du Poitou"
http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl ... 26hs%3DbUg
as an reference.
I don't believe it WAS bred to be a gourmet meat. It was bred to help produce larger rabbits, faster, on less food, in hotter weather.
When you say you are raising "Rex du Poitou", do you mean you are raising your Rex in a similar manner or did you somehow get some of this specific bloodline from France?