So then, who has commercial meat rabbits?

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Secuono

Secuono

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Wondering who here has commercial meat breeds. I'm thinking maybe I can make some kind of small trip to pick up some, maybe even get others to 'put in an order' and I can bring theirs back, too.
I'm reading that some are finding great deals, but all are too far and I hardly find anything local nor half local...
A 2-3hr trip one way I can do, but any more than that is just too far. So if anyone does breed commercial rabbits within 3hrs of the Culpeper VA area, care to post?
 
I found someone in Richmond who seems to breed commercial rabbits, no papers though. Emailed him back asking for details on weights, butcher dates and other such things.
I don't know why finding papered meat rabbits is so hard in VA! Lol, I can find papered pets in every direction I look, but not dinner rabbits...
 
I met a guy at the VA State Fair a few years ago who raised NZ. He had TONS of them. He's outside Richmond in Powhatan, I think. I might still have his card somewhere. He was visibly shocked and appalled that I wanted to possibly purchase his rabbits and put them on grass. He was convinced they'd all die. His attitude towards me wanting to pasture raise rabbits put me off so I sort of disregarded him. Let me see what I can dig up.
 
Yea, I alter what I say depending on who I'm talking to. Unless they mention wanting to or actually pasturing them, I don't say a thing about it. Same with pet breeds, avoid chatter about cages and eating them.
Thanks.
 
Joel Salatin has a line known for great meat production, bred to thrive on open pasturing. Their farm is somewhere in your area. I would love to get some of his rabbits one day. Here is a link and if you contact them please post how it goes. Thank you,

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

Joe
 
Their waiting list is years long. They are great meat mutts, but the wait is forever.
 
That's ridiculous, how can their wait be so long? Just dumb...
I see in info about anything that they breed. I know that name, polyface and they have rabbits and chickens on pasture. But the site is full of filler, nothing that helps.
 
Bummer, I should have guessed that. If they are truly only selling the best and eating the rest I can see why they have such a long wait list now that they are semi-famous.

I would still call every once in a while if I lived close. You never know when someone backs out of a deal and you can swoop in.

I was even told by a local NZW and Altex breeder that they quit taking more names for a wait list because they estimated it would take 6 months to meet their current list. Totally sucks, but then I got lucky and found a great breeder who sold me my Californians.

Joe
 
We went to their Farm Field Day two summers ago and spent time learning about their rabbitry. Their son Daniel started out with some NZs and Californians and whatevers about 20 years ago. He's done an intensive breeding program, breeding out for bad teeth, pasturella, cocci, poor mothering skills, slow weight gain, etc. They aren't any particular breed anymore. They're a true meat mutt but they are high quality, great growers.

Does are about $75 I think.

They are highly sought after because of the brand. Polyface is a huge brand. They have a wait because they are Polyface and because they have a superior product. Polyface is a multi million - if not billion - farming enterprise.

The only way to get any info is to call and talk to Daniel. He's not always available but he is a nice guy. They generally don't answer emails.

Thing is, they aren't in the business of breeding for resale. They're in the business of breeding for meat. That is another reason there is such a long wait.<br /><br />__________ Fri Jun 22, 2012 1:02 pm __________<br /><br />Yes, sometimes they stop taking names all together. Sometimes because the wait is so long already and other times because they want to do an intensive cull and rework the genetics.
 
$75 ain't bad, cheaper than a blue SF. They really shouldn't sell any if they are more for their own meat. It's just stupid to tease everyone that you 'can' get one but in reality, it's not worth waiting when you can get others and start your own.
 
Honestly, I'd be willing to wait for a trio from them and start completely over. But I don't have that kind of time right now. Maybe later if we decide to overhaul our breeding.
 
To find more meat producers , do searches designed to locate the meat, the restaurants that serve it, then go from there to find out where the meat comes from. True commercial meat breeders dont have a lot of time to spend talking to the hobby breeders, who are one time customers , they need to focus on filling there regular customers orders.
Also you might try some searches having to do with commercial meat production in your state.<br /><br />__________ Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:28 am __________<br /><br />also you might talk to some of the ones on cl that are advertising wanting to buy meat rabbits, some of those guys may be willing to help you if they think that later on you will supply meat rabbits to them. Some of them know where all the commercial meat raisers are in their area because they are trying to compete with them , buying and selling instead of raising them themselves.
 
Flint Ridge Farm At the current time we do not have any thing available. All of our stock is sold up until late fall. We can put you on our waiting list if you like. Our lines vary in price. Papered at 12 weeks start at $100 and go up to $200 at 6 months. We have a unpapered midlevel line that is lower in quality that start at $25 and go up from there.
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ChickiesnBunnies":2t6jl3c3 said:
$75 ain't bad, cheaper than a blue SF. They really shouldn't sell any if they are more for their own meat. It's just stupid to tease everyone that you 'can' get one but in reality, it's not worth waiting when you can get others and start your own.
Click to expand...
Who sells blue Silver Fox for over $75? That sounds crazy, or maybe I'm just out of the loop. If it is the case, then I'm sitting on a small fortune!
 
SF in VA is hard to find. There aren't a lot of breeders here.
 
In Maryland, there is a pasture meat breeder, black is $50, blue is $75 or maybe more, I forget. You can get smaller, crappy ones for a lot cheaper, but who knows really what you're getting. Usually not fully meat rabbit, more like show or pet.
Everyone who buys from that guy list theirs the same amount or about $10 less.


Papered at 12 weeks start at $100 and go up to $200 at 6 months. For NZ or Cali, now that is crazy!!
 
ChickiesnBunnies":3tu4h0uc said:
In Maryland, there is a pasture meat breeder,

Usually not fully meat rabbit, more like show or pet. !!
Click to expand...

I never can understand that statement. Anyone who shows a commercial breed knows the SOP calls for a specimen that is a true representative of a meat breed. If your show rabbits are not meat rabbits then you are not following the SOP.
 
CNB, they just posted pics of their national champion. She's built like a brick. She looks every bit as big and meaty as Radar, my SF senior buck.
 

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