New Zealand vs California for meat rabbits

[Nurse Tanya]

I can't decide. What is the differences? I would like Californias because there is not many Cali breeders in this area. I read that NZ make good mothers. Not sure what to do. I guess I could get a buck and doe of each?

What do ya guys think?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You have picked two breeds that complement each other very well as meat hybrids. Breed Cal to NZ for meat only litters as they lose the "hybrid vigor" in future generations, and breed Cal/Cal and NZ/NZ to replace breeding stock. It would be nice to know "this whole litter is going to FC" as opposed to having a litter that you have friendlied up knowing you will be keeping one or two as breeders...

Ideally, you should start with two does and two bucks of a breed so you have different lines to cross- but you could buy a buck and a bred doe and keep a buck out of her litter, giving you two to lines to breed from.

 

[Legacy]

NZs come in many colors. Cali only in one. Oh, wait that only affects my heart, not the meat...

Sure do love having the blacks, and brokens a long with the whites. Can't wait to get my hands on some red nz.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

NZs come in many colors. Cali only in one. Oh, wait that only affects my heart, not the meat...

Sure do love having the blacks, and brokens a long with the whites. Can't wait to get my hands on some red nz.

Actually, Cals come in 4 varieties, but only one is recognized by ARBA. They come in Black, Blue, Chocolate and Lilac. All four varieties are recognized in Europe.

 

[caroline]

If you're into a nice variety of colors you might want to look at Rex.
And if you don't care if the colors are recognized you can REALLY have some fun.
So far this year I have had 15+ colors of kits & that's just the solid ones.
When you add broken of all those varieties you could have more that 30 different colors.
Sometimes I just prolong my feeding and watering and manure raking because I'm so enjoying
my admiration of all that variety

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Go Rex, go Rex! King of Rabbits, and all that y'know! I love my Rex- I'd get really bored with Cals and NZ's, I think. But they are excellent meat rabbits.

Caroline is right about spending extra time in the barn with the rabbits- they are so beautiful it is hard to tear myself away.

 

[Nurse Tanya]

If you're into a nice variety of colors you might want to look at Rex.
And if you don't care if the colors are recognized you can REALLY have some fun.
So far this year I have had 15+ colors of kits & that's just the solid ones.
When you add broken of all those varieties you could have more that 30 different colors.
Sometimes I just prolong my feeding and watering and manure raking because I'm so enjoying
my admiration of all that variety

Are rex a good meat rabbit?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Rex are a dual purpose breed, bred for meat and fur. I don't think they get quite as large as the Cals and NZ's, though. But their fur is so beautiful it makes up for it.

One Acre Farm has Cals and just got a pair of Rex... maybe she can let you know what her first impressions are.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Well, all rabbits are made of "meat" but I will say that my Cal's seem meatier than the Rex. But, I am going to try some crosses with the Rex buck and my Cal does....I will let you know.

 

[5dognightfarm]

I personally like my Palominos and American Chins for meat, but raising a heritage breed for meat can take some persistance and frustration. Finding breeding stock is hard, then deciding who gets to carry on the breed and who gets to end up on the table...

Californians and New Zealands are both excellent meat rabbits. Californians are a little firmer in body type, so maybe they are leaner, but I've never butchered either to tell you the difference.

What I just learned about in a book about animal behavior is that REW (albino) rabbits (and Californian-colored is a form of REW) are missing the melanin that produces color. Melanin has proved to have something to do with brain function, although researchers aren't sure what. Pink skinned animals or animals that show albinistic characteristics (blue or pink eyes, large patches of white skin) can be a little crazy in the head.

If this is true, it would make sense that colored New Zealands would make better mothers then REW New Zealands or Californians, because they aren't mental. The study didn't give any references or cold hard evidence, but it would make sense why Appaloosa horses have a bad reputation for being loco, or dog breed strains that are bred to produce albino babies have neurological issues.

This all really has little to do with your question, but it was interesting lol. I like the Rexes, so if you go with those you'll be all set. They're good, meaty rabbits, and are nice to pet