Diamond
Well-known member
I culled all the bucks out of my crop of 12-week-olds and sent them to freezer camp. My smallest was 5 pounds 4 oz live (had two at this weight) and the largest was 6 pounds 12 oz live, with a second runner up at 6 pounds 8 oz live.
My final dressed rabbits - two at 2 pounds 14 oz, two at 3 pounds even, one 3 pounds 6 oz and one at 3 pounds 8 oz.
I have found that I don't start hitting the exact 3 pound mark until the rabbits are at least 5 pounds 8 oz live weight. Lots of 2 pound 12 oz, 2 pound 14 oz, etc. But I don't try to save too much of the neck meat, either, so I think that takes a little from the "Ideal weight". I am quite pleased with the big six pounders, and their dressed weights.
I fed the whole batch of 11 rabbits 4 pounds of 18% feed per day for the past 6 weeks plus timothy hay and fresh greens. They occupied my new growout cages with the 2nd story and a ramp to run up and down.
I reserved all the does as I have had numerous inquiries about breeding age rabbits. I have such a nicely productive line of NZ rabbits that they are certainly marketable to the family who wants to raise their own meat.
Next project is to sex and weigh my 8-week-olds, they are from fresh bloodlines out of a doe who I bought already bred in August. I plan to reserve all the bucks from these guys, keep one for myself and then offer breeding pairs for sale. With my luck they will be all does, right???? This line is the definition of "meat brick" with very strong shoulders and dense, compact bodies. My white buck came from the same breeder, he is of different lines but has the same chunky conformation. He is recovering from his recent bout of watery eyes and looking healthy again, time to set him up with a date soon!
My final dressed rabbits - two at 2 pounds 14 oz, two at 3 pounds even, one 3 pounds 6 oz and one at 3 pounds 8 oz.
I have found that I don't start hitting the exact 3 pound mark until the rabbits are at least 5 pounds 8 oz live weight. Lots of 2 pound 12 oz, 2 pound 14 oz, etc. But I don't try to save too much of the neck meat, either, so I think that takes a little from the "Ideal weight". I am quite pleased with the big six pounders, and their dressed weights.
I fed the whole batch of 11 rabbits 4 pounds of 18% feed per day for the past 6 weeks plus timothy hay and fresh greens. They occupied my new growout cages with the 2nd story and a ramp to run up and down.
I reserved all the does as I have had numerous inquiries about breeding age rabbits. I have such a nicely productive line of NZ rabbits that they are certainly marketable to the family who wants to raise their own meat.
Next project is to sex and weigh my 8-week-olds, they are from fresh bloodlines out of a doe who I bought already bred in August. I plan to reserve all the bucks from these guys, keep one for myself and then offer breeding pairs for sale. With my luck they will be all does, right???? This line is the definition of "meat brick" with very strong shoulders and dense, compact bodies. My white buck came from the same breeder, he is of different lines but has the same chunky conformation. He is recovering from his recent bout of watery eyes and looking healthy again, time to set him up with a date soon!
