I am going to breed rabbits in a couple years (not my first time raising them but my first time as an adult) for home consumption, perhaps sell some meat, and to sell their pelts. I have decided that I like Champagne D'Argents for their good bone to meat ratio and from my research they seem on par with the New Zealand and Florida White if not better. The problem is that I want "pretty" fur. I want spots like the English Spot and other markings like the Harlequin but normal fur type (not rex). What can I breed the Champagne D'Argents to to get this without sacrificing meat quality? I plan to butcher at twelve weeks. I would really like a variety of colors and patterns.
What should I cross a Champagne D'Argent with?
- Thread starter Surrexis
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Oscar
Well-known member
Palominos and Satins are a pretty breed and they are good meat wise.
Oscar
Well-known member
F you have a broken CDA and you do get palomino you may also get some broken babies.
dayna
Well-known member
Every buck I've bred to my champagne d argent creates a similar to champagne coat. I don't know the genetics of it but all the kits have been either champagne looking, gold tipped steel, or some mix thereof and I've bred her to a variety of bucks and buck colors and patterns.
Broken pattern is a dominant trait so if you breed a champagne (self black silver) to any broken you should get 50% to 100% broken patterned kits that could also have silvering
Harlequin can be trickier to get as it is recessive, unless you like harlequinized chestnuts
You would need a harlequin or tri-colour rabbit and most are found in the smaller pet breeds and you may loose the commercial body type, but I have added Mini Lop to my meat mutts with excellent results
Breeding to any other meat breed should maintain the commercial body type, but IMHO bloodline rather breed is the important factor in the production quality of rabbits.
I have read of many people being disappointed when they chose a rabbit based on the literature about the breed and their rabbits turned out to have poor production traits in some, or all areas of growth rate, temperament, fertility, mothering qualities, etc....
Harlequin can be trickier to get as it is recessive, unless you like harlequinized chestnuts
You would need a harlequin or tri-colour rabbit and most are found in the smaller pet breeds and you may loose the commercial body type, but I have added Mini Lop to my meat mutts with excellent results Breeding to any other meat breed should maintain the commercial body type, but IMHO bloodline rather breed is the important factor in the production quality of rabbits.
I have read of many people being disappointed when they chose a rabbit based on the literature about the breed and their rabbits turned out to have poor production traits in some, or all
areas of growth rate, temperament, fertility, mothering qualities, etc....
Most rabbit breeds handle the cold very well, my 3lb Netherland dwarfs were kept outside year round and I'm in Ontario Canada where goes to -30 F in mid-winter
Sore hocks is a more common problem in Rex and you may have difficulty finding a good meat quality Rex that also has nice fur.
Commercial rabbit pelts are harvested after 6 months old as younger pelts are more delicate and tear/rip easier so they are less durable
Sore hocks is a more common problem in Rex and you may have difficulty finding a good meat quality Rex that also has nice fur.
Commercial rabbit pelts are harvested after 6 months old as younger pelts are more delicate and tear/rip easier so they are less durable
Yes, so I think I will raise rex for fur and Champagne D'Argentso for meat. Maybe have my does be rexes and have one champagne buck and one rex buck and that way the does can produce meat mutts and when they retire I can harvest their fur? About the foot problem: I have noticed that wire floors can be hard on feet so I'm going to have a nest box they can jump up on to get off the wire. That's what I did when I had a dozen or so and it worked perfectly
Edit: rex buck is so I can breed more rexes to replace the females when I retire them. I want to use the females because if I'm raising them to maturity I would prefer they earn their keep. Also, I'm in Northern Vermont, like way north. My phone sends me constant texts saying "welcome to Canada" without me leaving the house. It gets -30 F here sometimes too so that's good to know.
Edit: rex buck is so I can breed more rexes to replace the females when I retire them. I want to use the females because if I'm raising them to maturity I would prefer they earn their keep. Also, I'm in Northern Vermont, like way north. My phone sends me constant texts saying "welcome to Canada" without me leaving the house. It gets -30 F here sometimes too so that's good to know.
Some bloodlines of Rex have foot issues even when resting boards are offered, you just need to be certain your breeding stock has well furred feet and sore hocks are not an issue in the breeders herd.
As long as they are kept dry and away from drafts most rabbits should do fine in N. Vermont. You may have to stop breeding over winter, or provide some heat source to the newborns and kits and if you cannot offer liquid water a few times a day your nursing does may not be able to maintain milk production
As long as they are kept dry and away from drafts most rabbits should do fine in N. Vermont. You may have to stop breeding over winter, or provide some heat source to the newborns and kits and if you cannot offer liquid water a few times a day your nursing does may not be able to maintain milk production
skysthelimit
Well-known member
Dood said:
imajpm
Well-known member
Satin sheen is recessive so to retrieve it you'd have to breed back to Satin. I like them a lot. My NZWxSatin crosses grow insanely fast and they are solid bricks. Those guys reached 5 lbs at 8 1/2 weeks old, much faster than the pure NZW's and much much faster than pure Satin's, which are slower than my NZW. Good rabbit for a cross program, or I think so
Crossing with that Satin will just give you normal fur bearing rabbits who carry the satin gene. They weather the cold fine here. Gets down to 0 to -10 or so during a cold snap, and otherwise ranges from 20-30 all winter. Mine are in an unheated barn.
In any case I'd try to get whatever you decide on, locally. They will already be adapted to your local weather patterns.
Crossing with that Satin will just give you normal fur bearing rabbits who carry the satin gene. They weather the cold fine here. Gets down to 0 to -10 or so during a cold snap, and otherwise ranges from 20-30 all winter. Mine are in an unheated barn.
In any case I'd try to get whatever you decide on, locally. They will already be adapted to your local weather patterns.
