What age to dispatch?

[R Buns]

The non-white is referred to as a Composite and is not normally used in commercial breeding. I'm not sure why but read someplace that commercial meat buyers prefer the white. ?? I don't know that to be true because I just raise them for my own use. I know I think a white furred rabbit tastes better but that's probably just me.

The very large scale breeder our stock came from only had white as far as I know. They sell to restaurants etc. I didn't know Tamuk's came in anything but white. Interesting and curious as to why

 

[tambayo]

White fur, just like white wool can be dyed any color and even throughout the batch. Not possible with colored furs or wool, the natural colors are not exactly the same and dye would be even more problematic.

 

[kusanar314]

The non-white is referred to as a Composite and is not normally used in commercial breeding. I'm not sure why but read someplace that commercial meat buyers prefer the white. ?? I don't know that to be true because I just raise them for my own use. I know I think a white furred rabbit tastes better but that's probably just me.

As already mentioned by someone else, the white hides are more valuable due to taking dye better than colored fur. But, another thing to consider, you will get hair on the carcass while processing, it's a thing that happens. I've bought a commercially raised and processed rabbit and it had hair on it. White hair is harder to see and less likely to bother a consumer than a colored hair. That's also why meat chickens are white, the pin feathers aren't as easy to see in / under the skin and people don't freak out and think there are black worms in their chicken.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I thought Tamuks were orange

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

I just ran into this doing our first bucks. Haven't done the does yet. One skinned real easily. One I practically had to knife skin. It was a surprising difference. I haven't done rabbits in decades and didn't remember how it was. I'll probably try and do them a tad under 12 weeks and see if that improves the skinning. It's not awful to knife skin like most other animals we do but certainly not as quick. I laughed out loud when you said "not mine". As I get older I have to check to be sure it's not mine.


Ours are all white meat lines. So far we've had a lot of struggles with them but from my understanding and as things seem to be smoothing out I think it's been mostly breeder issue and bit of my relearning curve on the breeding end not the breed themselves. Time will tell for us but slowly I'm liking them more and more. The proof She (they all) DOES NOT want to have any handling at all and she lets us know yet still in spite of it all is producing well.
That is a very nice color. I wonder if their hides are a little thicker. That's one thing I'm working on is using hides and they are supposed to be very thin (heat tolerant benefit) and not ideal to use as hides. This is the first I've seen a non white Tamuk. I'd be interesting in that. Thanks for sharing a pic!

My buck Scroggins loves to be petted. But my buck Ramon doesnt. All my breeding does like attention also. My does Boo and Boo Too, don't give large litters, but the kits are big and healthy, ready to slaughter about 9 weeks.
Hip and Knee ( named after the calamities we had June And July 2024.) have given large litters. 8 and 10 but half arent ready til 10 weeks.
Which is fine cause with all my other Barn chores, 4 a day is all I can do before my nap time.