Rabbit breeds They are very conventionally divided into meat, meat-skin and skin-based. In fact, meat of any breed is successfully consumed by humans, and the skins, one way or another, are used in the fur industry.
But the acceleration of the pace of life also affects rabbit breeds. If earlier late-ripening large breeds of rabbits, descended from the Flanders rabbit, were considered meat animals, today preference is given to rapid turnover and fast-growing broiler rabbits are actively displacing the former giants, despite their low weight.
Breeds of meat rabbits can be divided into large and early maturing. Such a division will be even more accurate than dividing by directions.
Large rabbits or giants
In fact, they all descend from the Flanders rabbit, the origin of which has still not been clarified.
These breeds include:
- Flanders rabbit;
- German Risen;
- English giant;
- French giant;
- gray giant;
- white giant.
The last two breeds were bred in the USSR when it turned out that the Flanders rabbit could not withstand Russian climatic conditions. Gray and white giants were bred with the infusion of blood from local outbred rabbits, well adapted to the weather adversities of Russia.
Opinions about the skins of these giants are contradictory. You can come across statements that they have high-quality thick fur, or you can come across a review that the fur is of average quality and these are meat breed rabbits that have no value in the fur industry.
General characteristics of large breeds of rabbits
These breeds are very similar to each other, to the point that the German giant was bred without any extraneous blood at all, exclusively by selection from the Flanders rabbit. In this regard, many rabbit breeders do not recognize the Risen as a separate breed and consider the Flanders rabbit, although the Flanders rabbit that came to Germany weighed only 5 kg, and the weight of the Risen starts from 6. At the same time, the Germans, having worked well on their part of the Flanders rabbit population and gave it the name "Rizen", they stand to death for the fact that this is a new breed.
Most likely they are right. Such cases have happened in livestock farming more than once, but people usually don’t focus on this.
The slaughter yield of meat from these breeds is 60%, and the live weight of rabbits starts from 5 kg. Individuals with less weight are subject to culling from the breeding herd for meat. Typically giants weigh 6-7 kg, but a weight of 8 kg is not exceptional for them. There are rabbits weighing 10-12 kg, but 25 kg is a hoax.
In the photo there are real Flemish rabbits weighing 8 kg. And according to the owner, these are really large specimens of the Flemish breed.
All rabbits of giant meat breeds have a well-developed croup with powerful hind legs, since this is where the main muscle mass is concentrated, a long body from 60 to 75 cm. The head is wide and large, but proportional to the body. Well-developed cheeks are clearly visible. The shape of rabbits' ears can vary. If the German Risen has ears from 13 to 20 cm long, expanding upward, then the modern Flanders The ears are at least 19 cm long, and the best word to describe them is “burdocks”.
The downside of giants is their late ripening. They are sent for slaughter no earlier than 6 months, and can be used for breeding only from 8-9 months. Broiler breeds are usually slaughtered for meat at 4 months.
Features of keeping giants
Due to their large weight, giants cannot live in cages with mesh floors. Their paws are poorly protected by fur, and their heavy weight contributes to the appearance of pododermatitis. Therefore, it is recommended to keep giants in outdoor enclosures.
The size of this enclosure is also larger than usual rabbit cages. The area required for one giant is 1x1.1 m, and for a female rabbit with a litter, the area of the enclosure must be increased by 1.5 times.
When raising young animals in sheds for meat, farm owners have to invent devices that will protect the rabbits' paws from abrasions. Cages in sheds, in addition to having a larger area than usual, must also have a height of at least 60 cm.
For giants, Mikhailov or Tsvetkov cages with their floor made of wooden slats would be a good choice, but these cages take up a lot of space and can be complicated and too expensive for an amateur rabbit breeder.
Diet of giants
To build muscle mass, giants need a diet rich in protein and carbohydrates. Moreover, they have a greater need for carbohydrates. Replacement young animals do not need intensive fattening, so the basis of their diet should be hay rich in calcium and phosphorus. In a beef herd, the main part of the diet consists of concentrates, that is, grain.
Some people prefer to feed whole grains, others prefer to feed them ready-made feed. Barley and corn are the richest in carbohydrates.
It is better to provide rabbits with round-the-clock access to hay. Alfalfa hay is the richest in calcium.
It is not advisable to give clover, as it contains a large amount of sugars. Such hay can ferment even when eaten dry.
Reproduction of giants
Since all giants are late-maturing breeds, they are allowed to breed no earlier than 8 months. Animals destined for the breeding herd are best bred from 10 months.
On average, female rabbits give birth to 10-12 young rabbits. When keeping giants in enclosures, you need to lay a thick layer of hay on the floor, since they will build a nest in it.
The ideal bedding option for giant rabbits kept on the floor would be mixed bedding: sawdust at the bottom, straw or hay on top of the sawdust.
When choosing giants, in Russian conditions, the rabbit breeder’s answer to the question “what breed of rabbits is best to take for breeding” will be “a gray or a white giant.” European breeds may be larger, but they are much more demanding in terms of living conditions and do not tolerate cold well.
But if you have an insulated rabbitry (all breeds can easily withstand temperatures down to 0°), then you can also have more exotic Flandromes or German Riesens.
But today giants are more exotic and the liking of a lover of large animals than rabbits intended for meat. Early maturing broiler breeds have taken first place in meat and, partly, skin production.
Broiler rabbit breeds
The best meat rabbit breeds today are New Zealand and Californian.
New Zealand breed
Like Californians, New Zealand rabbits originated in California.
New Zealand are divided into three types:
- white;
- red;
- black.
They differ not only in color, but also in weight. The origin of these breeds is unknown. More precisely, the origin of the first variety is unknown: the red rabbit. In fact, they were bred in California, but whether this was a local variety of wild rabbit or the ancestors of the red NZK were actually brought from New Zealand could not be determined. Although, where would local varieties come from in New Zealand or California, if there is only one species of wild rabbit, and this is the European rabbit, which has spread to other continents thanks to humans.
The first red NZKs were a rather dull red-yellow color, which is characteristic of wild rabbits, and were small in size. Through painstaking work and the infusion of blood from a silver rabbit and Flanders managed to increase the size of the original New Zealander and improve the color of his fur.
White New Zealand was obtained from red by simple selection of albinos. But at the same time, the weight of white is about 0.5 kg more than the weight of red.
If the red one weighs 4-4.7 kg, then the white one gains from 4.5 to 5 kg. The largest variety is the black New Zealander. It weighs from 5 kg. This is a new variety, not recognized in all countries.
A distinctive feature of the black New Zealander is its fur, the brown tint in which and the presence of white hairs is a reason for culling the animal.
California breed
It was bred in California by crossing three breeds and is a “relative” of the New Zealand White. Today it is almost an established breed, to which only New Zealand Whites are allowed to be added to freshen the blood.
Rabbits reach slaughter weight by 4 months, and they can be mated from 6 months, although rabbits reach sexual maturity at 3 and before this time it is necessary to have time to separate the males and females, since a female rabbit that gives birth early will not produce high-quality offspring.
Classic example. On one website, these rabbits, with a completely different mask shape, different ear markings, white paws, dark eyes and back markings, are listed as California rabbits. These are not Californians, these are butterflies. Californian rabbits have another interesting feature: sometimes rabbits are born with a dark coating on the body. Some rabbit breeders are afraid of this coloring and try to cull the rabbits. In fact, such a suit for newborns is a signal of a high-quality adult suit in the future. There is definitely no need to cull these rabbits; it is more profitable to leave them for the breeding.
You can see what a baby rabbit with a dark coating on its skin might look like in the video.
California rabbits with a gray coating - defective or standard?
General features of broiler breeds
Broiler rabbit breeds are mainly intended for breeding for meat; their skins are a by-product. But even if the plan is only to obtain meat, it is better to breed these breeds of rabbits in cages in a stationary rabbitry with a controlled microclimate. Then they will grow as the breeders intended, otherwise there may be complaints about too little weight or high mortality of the rabbits.
If the rules are followed, the survival rate of baby rabbits is very high, and cases of the queen eating the offspring most often occur due to the thirst experienced by the female rabbit after giving birth.
Broiler rabbit diet
As animals grow rapidly, they need constant access to feed. In commercial production, rabbits are typically fed complete pellets and hay. For normal growth and life, rabbits do not need anything else. This diet also helps to avoid a common problem with Russian rabbits - bloating. Since succulent food tends to ferment in the intestines, gases swell the walls of the stomach and intestines. The work of the intestinal tract stops and as a result of the continued accumulation of gas in the insides, the rabbit dies.
Time is often counted against the clock and the veterinarian simply does not have time to help the animal. And since bloating is one of the symptoms of coccidiosis, there is often no point in trying to figure out why a rabbit is bloated; it’s easier to kill it.
Burgundy rabbit
Another interesting breed of rabbits, standing somewhat apart from other meat breeds. It is similar to the New Zealand Red because it was developed using two related broiler breeds: the California and New Zealand Red.
The Burgundy differs from the red NZK by a more graceful head, light rims of the eyes and heaviness. The weight of a Burgundy can reach up to 6 kg.
Opinions differ regarding the quality of meat and skin. Some believe that the Californian has better meat, others that the Burgundian has tasty and juicy meat. Same with fur. Some are convinced that the fur is not of very good quality and is only suitable for artisanal use. According to another version, the Burgundian's fur is very thick and wear-resistant.
While rabbit breeders are arguing, Western fashion designers are sewing stylish and fashionable clothes and accessories from Burgundy rabbit skins.
Features of the Burgundy rabbit
Like the parent breeds, the Burgundy is well adapted to being kept in cages, but is quite demanding in relation to food. His diet must include succulent food, including root vegetables and fresh grass.
The disadvantage of the Burgundy rabbit compared to the parent breeds is its relative late maturity. But this is just relative. It is recommended to slaughter Burgundians at 6 months, since by this age they are fully grown and their further maintenance begins to cause losses.
Another nuance due to which this breed is not suitable for everyone is that Burgundy rabbits are so adorable when they are small that it is easy to become attached to them.
The choice of rabbit breed for breeding will entirely depend on the plans of the rabbit breeder and his sympathies. For industrial breeding for meat, of course, broilers. And best of all, Californian.
To surprise others and obtain large skins for fur products - giant breeds of rabbits.
To combine these two directions, the Burgundy rabbit is well suited.
