Interesting discovery

[avdpas77]

Since I am rearing meat rabbits for the greatest genetic variability possible, my first selection for breeders is based on differentiation of pedigree. After that the are chosen for "meat type", and finally, the does are chosen for kit number, milk production, and kit care. Bucks are rated on the best meat-type and also on kit production as I found out by accident they number of kits raised by an assortment of does, varied according to the buck. I suspect this is more connected with the length of time the sperm are viable rather than the number of sperm. This means that up to 3 times as many does and bucks as I really need, and then cull them after several liters indicate which are the best mothers, bucks etc.

If I am lucky, I have enough that meet the other criteria, that I get to select for colors I like, friendliness etc.

One of the things I look for in selecting both bucks and does is "blocky-ness" in the front shoulders. I have just recently processed a buck who I have kept several years who met all my criterion, but was no longer needed for diverse gene selection. He was a beautiful blue buck who had a body like a brick, or more closely a (commercial) loaf of bread. He has been one of the best shaped bucks I have ever bred. I was surprised, though, that over the past few years, that the did not seem to pass those heavy shoulders on to his offspring. What I found when he was cleaned, is that those shoulders seemed to be more gristle and fat than muscle. When I looked at the front legs, themselves, they really weren't any heavier than the average rabbit. While this would be fine in a show rabbit (his shoulders were solid, not blubbery) it isn't much of a plus for a meat rabbit at all.

I guess the lesson is that one can be deceived by outward appearances.

 

[MaggieJ]

I don't go about rabbit raising as methodically as you do, Avdpas77, but I have noticed that some rabbits that I thought had meaty shoulders were actually not all that meaty once they were skinned. If there is going to be fat on my rabbits it tends to accumulate over the shoulders - and in the body cavity if they are older rabbits. Appearances can be deceptive!

 

[Jack]

have you read such books as rabbit production
University of Louisiana has the US chapter of the international rabbit breeding something, they have TONS of stuff on their website (lost it sorry)

Pretty much every meat breed is looking for 3 things
good mother (productive)
good 3 month weight (growout)
and feed efficiency, so a rabbit putting the feed to fat instead of muscle is poor on the last, even if they are the heaviest at 3 months.

 

[akane]

You learn a lot butchering your rabbits that you wouldn't know about your herd if you were just breeding for show.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Broad shoulders that WORK are carrying muscle-- so, If those shoulders can pull a rabbit up a cage wall, they are more likely to be packing meat and not excessive, non-meat tissues (gristle)

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

The rabbit you processed was several years old, correct? I would assume in his youth or around the 10 week stage when a fryer is processed this might not have been the case.The reason i would think this is the fact you mentioned he was not "big-boned" but somewhere around the same sized bones as your other less blocky rabbits. Also to be honest fat and gristle do feel different from muscle and probably wouldn't be acceptable in a meat breed on the show table. The majority of points awarded on the table are for "meat qualities" contrary to common opinion. As to why he didn't pass his type on to his offspring I have no idea, although outcrossing does not tend to set type at all. Perhaps "blocky shoulders" for want of a better description are autosomal recessive or something to that effect?