Heritage vs commercial

[H&R rabbits]

Im sure this has been asked before, but Ive been hunting around and haven't really seen it.
Benefits to raising a heritage meat rabbit vs a commercial? Aside from the "to preserve a breed" cause that makes total sense to me, I'm wondering if there is any other appeal to having the supposed slower growing rabbits in a meat setting.

I'm struggling with deciding between NZ, flordia white (although I can only get show quality) american chinchilla, champagne d'argent (the latter two I supposedly have really close breeders) or silver fox (not sure he sells them pedigreed).

Goals: meat. Family of 3 (4 soon), 1 very large dog, possible family and friends (we've mentioned it and had some interest) a RAW feeders group, and a processor that sells to same group (minimum weight 4.5 live lbs). Oh and a friends family said they might be interested in pelts if we cleaned them (haven't looked into that too much yet).

 

[3mina]

It really depends on what you like. Most processors want white rabbits so if your looking at selling to a processor keep that in mind.
I'm not certain anymore that some of the heritage breeds actually grow more slowly than the commercial breeds. I'm seeing a lot of people with 5 lbs by 8 weeks and 6 lbs by 10-12 weeks with SF at any rate.

For myself, I raise Rex and Silver Fox because I love the coats on both breeds and the temperament on the Foxes is amazing.
I would recommend going to a show if possible and seeing all of your candidate breeds.

 

[dayna]

I vote for Champagnes! I have one and she is the SWEETEST breeding rabbit I own. I swear she thinks she's a dog.

 

[Zass]

I feed 4 people, 2 large dogs, and 2 cats, and our main meat is rabbit.


I have seen and been impressed with the reproductive capabilities of NZW rabbits. Keep in mind though, a good mutt is still going to produce better growing kits than a lousy purebred. It's not just the breed you chose, but the individual bloodlines that really matters. Make sure to get good stock.

I will give them credit, they are the supra-ultra-most-efficient breeds on an industrial level, but, I find that sort of efficiency doesn't amount to much of a real difference in a backyard rabbitery of just a few does and a buck that aren't being bred with commercial intensity.


I think the total saved per/litter isn't really that much, and would take pretty high #s of rabbits to make a recognizable a difference financially.
Also, there are people who raise rabbits to GET AWAY FROM industry meat raising methods.

With my litter sizes, I don't dare breed more then 3 does at once or I'll be buried in kits, and I also like to leave the kits in with their moms until 8 weeks to save on cage space, and not re-breed until I wean.(to give the moms a break) That's my personal "meat setting". and I probably wouldn't save a buck treating NZW or cali rabbits the same way. :lol:


Another reason for interest in heritage breeds it that's it's often stated that they handle pasture and forage better than the industry breeds. I don't know the truth of it, but it's certainly an interesting thing for small scale rabbit raisers to explore.

I DO know that pasturing meat rabbits is no longer an uncommon practice.
Colony raising is another factor, people correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't many of the heritage types just more easygoing and easier to colony than industrial types?

So you see, a "meat setting" can look totally different depending on where you are, and the industrial breeds just might not thrive or produce any better at all in some types of "meat setting"

Hmm, but maybe the main reason a lot of people choose a heritage breed is because they find a type that they totally fall in love with and it just makes them happier to be around them and work with them than any other breed?

 

[grumpy]

Heritage breeds fascinate me. I'd dearly love to get a good line of Champagnes.
As it is, I've been patiently waiting for nearly a year for a good friend to raise me some.
I'm getting to the point that I'm going to start looking for, at the very least, a Champagne buck.

I've got some ideas I'd like to try with a three-way breeding that may well produce a better meat rabbit.
I'd like to get a half-dozen NZW/Champagne does and breed my Cal bucks to them to see what they'd do.
I've got an above average commercial strain of NZW's and a pretty good line of Californians.
This cross of Cal bucks over NZW does produces some outstanding youngsters with fast weight gain.
I believe a 25% Champagne addition would elevate the growth weight a tad more.
I may be wrong, but I'd sure like to try it and see.

Grumpy.

 

[Dood]

I have 2 bloodlines of AmChins. One has amazing production qualities and calm temperaments, the other is from show stock and they are sub par in the production and attitude department - does don't get pregnant, they have smaller litters (6-8 vs 8-12) with poorer milk production - so bloodlines are more important IMHO than breed.

If you don't care about showing or colour then shop around for a rabbit meat producer with purebred or mutts who raises them the way you plan to and go with those rabbits.

DON'T get adults - they are getting rid of them for a reason ask to reserved a trio from their best production stock.

DON'T get stock from three or more sources and it would be best if you just got them from one farm - inbreeding is generally not a problem in rabbits but respiratory diseases are. More than one member has lost all their rabbits to disease brought in by a new bunny.

When I first started I only fed 18% pellets and was getting to 5 lbs in 8 weeks but the cost to feed everyone was very high. This year I decided to try forage feeding and growth slowed - a lot - but I had the time and land to go out and cut the forage and the room to hold onto the kits until 4 months if needed, most were 5 lb by 3 months, and their feed bill dropped to practically zero so I am not complaining

 

[Ramjet]

I have Rex and for me , its all about the colors of the rainbow in the nest box. It wouldn't be as exciting seeing a nest box full of white buns every time ... They may not grow as fast as Cali's or get as big as NZ's .... but they do just fine for my purposes on both fronts. And there is nothing like a quality rex pelt.

 

[Frecs]

I love my Silver Foxes. BUT, I want to stress what others have said: breed is less important than getting good meat producing stock. My SF rabbits did not grow out to full SOP weights. They are great mothers (after the first one or two bad litters) so I'll work my way up from there. It would have been better if I'd STARTED with larger rabbits with good mothering skills....anyway... Get the best you can afford geared toward what you need and prepare to grow from there.

And, as stated--if you want to sell to processors you will need white rabbits. Other color pelts can reduce the price they pay you.

If you are just starting out, get a starter trio or so of young rabbits and go through the learning curve with those. Then, start saving the best of the litters to increase your herd. Don't bite off more than you can chew at first.

 

[dayna]

Dood, I got Honey as a young adult. They were going to keep her for breeding so I had to make it worth their while. She's been a great producer for me. I paid a lot more for her than I've ever paid for any other rabbit and it was a lot more than they sold the kits for.

So if you look at purchasing a good producing adult, expect to compensate the breeder for raising that rabbit up and the litters it won't get in the future.

Also, my champagne Honey produces large litters when bred to mutt bucks, and so far only 1 live kit with two breedings to two different purebred champagne bucks...

 

[Phil]

Ramjet I have to agree with you, I have also got Rex rabbits that the bunnies will get to 4 to 5 lbs by 8-10 weeks, my does range any where from 8-12 lbs as well as my average litter is from 6-12 bunnies, and like you said I also get she soft colorful fur, I like my rexs

 

[Random Rabbit]

When choosing a Breed.... Find one that You like. A breed that gives You the goosebumps when You see a fine specimen. A breed that after years of raising it...You still luv walking in the barn and seeing Your stock.

Doesn't matter if it is a popular breed or a "heritage" breed... if You are not excited by it...You will not stay with it thru the bad times as well as thru the wonderfully Good times.

jmo. ymmv... of course..... :bunnyhop:

 

[Phil]

:yeahthat:

 

[H&R rabbits]

Wow guys thanks! Ok. I think eventually I'll have to get two trios of two breeds I adore (starting with one for now). I'm not terribly fond of red eyes. I'm lucky my RAW dog food processors only rule is no FG crosses. So that really opens it up for us. Ironically when I was thinking about chickens I looked at endangered first, than from there, breed traits. I didnt really do that with rabbits. I read bob bennets book, loads of websites and havent really gotten anywhere haha. In fact bobs book led me to think i wanted champagnes and FW based on his bios of them.
As far as our set up' I'd like cage set up for breeding but I'm not opposed to tractor style grow out pens in the warmer months here (we get so much rain) and off and on for bucks and does.. At least for now. I loved the idea of colony but upon more thought I'm not sure it's for me. Especially since I could have a fairly big market for the raw feeding group, I'd like to have consistency in numbers as much as possible.

 

[concreteblonde]

Wow guys thanks! Ok. I think eventually I'll have to get two trios of two breeds I adore (starting with one for now). I'm not terribly fond of red eyes. I'm lucky my RAW dog food processors only rule is no FG crosses. So that really opens it up for us. Ironically when I was thinking about chickens I looked at endangered first, than from there, breed traits. I didnt really do that with rabbits. I read bob bennets book, loads of websites and havent really gotten anywhere haha. In fact bobs book led me to think i wanted champagnes and FW based on his bios of them.
As far as our set up' I'd like cage set up for breeding but I'm not opposed to tractor style grow out pens in the warmer months here (we get so much rain) and off and on for bucks and does.. At least for now. I loved the idea of colony but upon more thought I'm not sure it's for me. Especially since I could have a fairly big market for the raw feeding group, I'd like to have consistency in numbers as much as possible.

I really like FW's. I've had other rabbits in the past and these, most of them, have a very friendly demeanor and they aren't nervous and skittish.

You only get about 6 kits per litter, but then you aren't bogged down with a ton of rabbits to have to butcher all at once either. We have a small fridge and I like to age my meat before I freeze it. Freezer space around here is at a premium and it's a small chest freezer. I couldn't handle ten NZW's at a time. Too much meat.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Heritage breeds fascinate me. I'd dearly love to get a good line of Champagnes.
As it is, I've been patiently waiting for nearly a year for a good friend to raise me some.
I'm getting to the point that I'm going to start looking for, at the very least, a Champagne buck.

I've got some ideas I'd like to try with a three-way breeding that may well produce a better meat rabbit.
I'd like to get a half-dozen NZW/Champagne does and breed my Cal bucks to them to see what they'd do.
I've got an above average commercial strain of NZW's and a pretty good line of Californians.
This cross of Cal bucks over NZW does produces some outstanding youngsters with fast weight gain.
I believe a 25% Champagne addition would elevate the growth weight a tad more.
I may be wrong, but I'd sure like to try it and see.

Grumpy.

actually grumpy I did this.... but you cant take the fryer from the mix of the cals/nz and breed them back.. the out comes isn't as good.. With the champagne .. they are a shorter rabbit.. good meat to bone ratio and very good coats.. but the mix really didn't go as good as I hoped. They spend more time of growing there coat then meat... but it might be different for you .. There were slower to get to weight .. but they also eat less..

 

[Peach]

I wish so bad that I didn't have to put my original pair of Champs down. They were LOVELY. Temperament wasn't there yet (Came from a big rabbitry) but the buck ( who I thought was coming from THEIR stock, and not someone outside) started blowing snot with the change of the season and started blowing snot all over the other doe. I was livid. The breeder offered to replace one, and the other half off, but I'm on the fence with it. Maybe after I get a place of my own. I did end up loosing a prized doe to it a few months later, as she was in quarantine beneath them as well (left her in quarantine) and finally showed symptoms under stress.

So watch for what people might try to sell you and be specific you don't want outside stuff.

 

[skysthelimit]

They spend more time of growing there coat then meat... but it might be different for you .. There were slower to get to weight .. but they also eat less..

This is the thing about Silver Fox, the heritage breed, and the other commercial meat breeds that are dual purpose, like French Angoras and Rex. Yes they are really meat breeds, but as fancy fur breeds, growing the coat slows them down.

The SOP for Silver Fox actually says they should be known for their meat producing abilities. That being said, it is a 6 class rabbit for a reason.

 

[Zass]

They spend more time of growing there coat then meat... but it might be different for you .. There were slower to get to weight .. but they also eat less..

This is the thing about Silver Fox, the heritage breed, and the other commercial meat breeds that are dual purpose, like French Angoras and Rex. Yes they are really meat breeds, but as fancy fur breeds, growing the coat slows them down.

The SOP for Silver Fox actually says they should be known for their meat producing abilities. That being said, it is a 6 class rabbit for a reason.

My SF had no trouble growing, but there was pretty obviously some NZW tucked into the lines at some point.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a 6 class rabbit?

 

[Random Rabbit]

6 Class refers to the larger breeds that have 6 show classes Sr. Buck, Sr Doe, 6/8 Buck, 6/8 Doe, Jr Buck, Jr Doe.

the smaller breeds only have 4 classes Sr Buck, Sr Doe, Jr Buck and Jr Doe

 

[MamaSheepdog]

the smaller breeds only have 4 classes Sr Buck, Sr Doe, Jr Buck and Jr Doe

Yet the Rex is a 4 class breed. :?