Which Breed?

[Cspr]

Long story short: Can't raise meat rabbits where I'm at, Easter Bunny or perhaps just Generalized Bambi Syndrome is at large.

On the other hand, I thought up rabbit boarding, as others have in the past, and now I'm entranced. Thinking of trying chicken and/or quail boarding also.

But now I have to begin to make that big decision: Which breed?

I know the most popular for commercial meat are NZW and Californian, but I'm just going to be raising meat for my family and I. I know lighter pelts are easier to pull and don't leave obvious hair on the carcass, so also I'm looking into the following breeds in their version of white (or Californian): Silver Fox, American, Beveren, and Satin. NZW seems to be the most popular in my area, but I'd love to have Silver Fox or Satin pelts to work with, and American and Beveren are rarer breeds.

Of course, I already have American Sable, which could be used, but I'm breeding for show and not meat. These overlap, but I figure I should start with rabbits born of true meat rabbits. Also, dark hairs.

I'd love to hear what your thoughts on these breeds are. Your experience with which create the most meat for the least cost and fuss. I plan on bringing bags of forage over for their feeding, so it'd be really great if they were good at putting on the pounds with stuff like mimosa as half of their feed source. Larger litters and great mothering are also big pluses for the obvious reasons.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edit: Mind you, the most common breeds around me are New Zealand, Californian, Chinchillas, mutts, and there's one breeder of Creme d'Argent, so I might have to look at them more so unless I want to spend more.

 

[skysthelimit]

White is not an acceptable color in SF, so you will be hard pressed to get those, and most who do, quietly cull them at birth.
Otherwise, Silver Fox that have been bred for meat are remarkably efficient in their feed to meat ratios. And the pelt is like nothing else.

 

[Cspr]

Odd. I mean, I knew that the color wasn't accepted, but a friend in Arizona has them and they are gorgeous. Their pelts look like snow flecked with ice.

On the other hand, I'm pretty certain if I could find any nearby, I'd want them. I've heard they're good on forage and are similar to New Zealands, but with better fur. I just want to hear about some of the other breeds before I make my final decisions.

 

[skysthelimit]

Yeah there is one person who came out and admitted they had them. The rest are not very approving (which drove a member here off of the SF FB page). I am currently testing my friends herd, because I have a pair of blue eyed SF, and she has one with a white leg. I don't know if I'd cull mine or not, but it would be hard for me to sell them as show if didn't clean this line.

Anyway, hopefully MSD will tell you about Beverens and someone will tell you about Satins. From what I've seen, picking any of these breeds will give you nice meaty buns.

 

[Cspr]

XD Yes. Hopefully. Of course, over on Homesteading Today I've been suggested, again, Silver Fox and someone suggested I just use my American Sable doe as the basis of my trio, since I'd like to work any older pelts or even turn the younger pelts into felt. My grandmother loves sewing and making things with fabric and I'm sure both would be excellent gifts for her. She might even give me a blanket or coat in return. :mrgreen:

As someone said white pelts are basically like any other color pelt for your own use, I'm considering trying some interesting colors, things I would love to make made into a blanket, coat, etc. A white coat would be very pretty, but with my luck I'd get it stained the first day wearing it. :lol:

Mind you, if I could find white SF? Wouldn't care. Would just cuddle their pelts and stare at them in awe. XD Oh gosh, I sound so creepy. They're just like works of art, some rabbit pelts. Fascinating.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have Beveren in blue, but just started with them.

I have only had one litter so far- Cedar kindled nine, but one was found dead in the nest, and two I culled because they had messy rear ends and seemed to be fading. That left six- three were killed in that horrid heat wave we had when the whole family was out for the day. So that left three.

I had the three in a raised cage, and one day as I was looking one of them over, another one fell out of the cage and broke its back. He was my "keeper" too.

They are insanely friendly, which is why the one fell out... he was trying to stand up on the door, but it was open, so he fell straight to the ground.

I also now have a junior pair of Americans- they were 6-1/2lbs at 17 weeks. They are also very friendly and personable, and get even larger than the Beveren.

I like being part of preserving the rare breeds. You must keep in mind though, that because they are rare, it is even more important to cull for quality. The last thing these breeds need is for sub-standard rabbits to be sold as breeders simply because of their rarity.

For that reason, I plan to show mine as often as I can so I can learn to evaluate them properly.

 

[paintrider89]

XD Yes. Hopefully. Of course, over on Homesteading Today I've been suggested, again, Silver Fox and someone suggested I just use my American Sable doe as the basis of my trio, since I'd like to work any older pelts or even turn the younger pelts into felt. My grandmother loves sewing and making things with fabric and I'm sure both would be excellent gifts for her. She might even give me a blanket or coat in return. :mrgreen:

As someone said white pelts are basically like any other color pelt for your own use, I'm considering trying some interesting colors, things I would love to make made into a blanket, coat, etc. A white coat would be very pretty, but with my luck I'd get it stained the first day wearing it. :lol:

Mind you, if I could find white SF? Wouldn't care. Would just cuddle their pelts and stare at them in awe. XD Oh gosh, I sound so creepy. They're just like works of art, some rabbit pelts. Fascinating.

I can't wait to work harlequin into my stains. Those wil be some keeper pelts.

 

[GBov]

Don't worry about hair on the meat, just skin in the sink with a little water running. Put your first cuts around the back leg, right over the hock joint. THen, carefully, join both of those cuts with a cut INSIDE the leg. THen work your hand between the skin and meat at the mid thigh area and, once free, pull down tward the foot. do again on the other leg. That will leave you with a flap of skin hanging down both sides. Work your hand across the hips to free that skin and slip your knife into that space and cut the tail off. That will free the entire back end of the rabbit. Then just hold the back feet and firmly pull the skin over the front half. The skin winds up inside out so no hair is anywhere near the meat.

Oh, and while you are cutting, just put your knife under the water each time you cut to wash any hair off the blade.

Totally - well, almost - fur free meat!

And anyway, fur you miss just blends in when cooked.

Forgive me if I am telling you something you already know, by the way.

 

[Cspr]

Thanks, GBov. I already know how to butcher a rabbit. That is, my knowledge as much as secondary sources can get me. YouTube was very helpful. One person used the tail to pull out the entrails, I think, which seems very useful.

On the other hand, I've decided, with my BF, which colors we'd like around the house. XD Seems like black-based chinchilla, magpie, and silver are at the tops of both our lists. I figure a nice Silver Fox pelt coat with a magpie or chinchilla collar would be gorgeous, right? Lined with raw silk, because we're going to be fancy. XD As I already have AS, I'm probably going to work in seal and sable--coat and trim, again--because I have the stock and they're lovely.

Now just to sort out how to get the colors I want. XD