Various meat breeds of rabbits

0

4416

Article rating

Rabbit meat is a tasty and healthy product that will appeal to many gourmets. And if viewed from the point of view of a farmer, it is also a very convenient product for sale, which is sold quickly and at a good price. Therefore, meat rabbits have become very popular among breeders, as it is convenient and profitable to breed them. But for beginners who are just starting to think about this business, it is difficult to choose the right breed. Therefore, they should first look at the list of varieties of these animals.

Rabbits of meat breeds

Choosing a meat breed of rabbits

Rabbits of all breeds can be used as a source of tasty and dietary meat. The only exceptions are decorative varieties. But in order to get the maximum profit, you should breed animals bred specifically for meat, and not a skin breed. There are also meat-and-hide animals, and even animals of hide productivity. And you won't be able to get a lot of meat from them. There are several factors that you should pay attention to when choosing a breed of meat-type rabbits:

1. The quality of the meat obtained. Almost every rabbit has meat that tastes good and is good for health. But there are breeds that give a tastier and more delicate product. And their carcasses can be sold for a great price.
2. Weight gain rate. Depending on how quickly animals gain slaughter weight, the cost of caring for them to achieve productivity also depends. And also the speed of product implementation is directly related to this parameter. Those animals that gain weight more slowly are not so profitable for keeping.
3. The sizes of the rabbits. There are several breeds that are really large in size. These giants reach a mass equal to 6-7 kg, and they have an excellent lethal yield. Sometimes these animals belong not to meat, but to meat-skin varieties.
4. Early maturity. The faster these animals reproduce, the larger the offspring, and the higher the profit received. For meat rabbits, this parameter is very important. Although these animals reproduce quickly, some reproduce faster than others.
5. Resistance to infectious and fungal diseases. There are many unpleasant diseases that can destroy up to 80-90% of the total population of rabbits. And it is better for a beginner to give preference to those varieties that better resist these ailments. Such resistance makes breeding animals easier.

In addition to all these factors, you should also pay attention to which animals will better adapt to a given area. And you should also see which breeds of rabbits for breeding for meat can be purchased.Some species are unavailable or rare in some regions, and you have to buy those animals that are available. In any case, before buying, you should look at the description of the breed, and consult with experienced breeders. Perhaps they can advise a worthy variety.

Description of individual breeds of meat rabbits

It is difficult to single out the best meat breeds of rabbits. All of them have their own advantages and disadvantages, therefore, you should choose based on your own preferences. For one farmer, medium-sized, but early maturing animals are suitable, capable of gaining slaughter weight at high speed. And another breeder will choose meat-skin animals that are large in size, but at the same time have an average rate of weight gain. Here is a comparison chart that describes some of the varieties of rabbits:

These are not all breeds that can be bred at home. In principle, the farmer should remember that the meat-skin and meat breeds of rabbits are the best breeds for breeding, at least for novice breeders. Special attention should be paid to those varieties that were bred in Russia and Ukraine. They are best adapted to local conditions. And it is also among them that there are many of the largest specimens, which really give a lot of tasty and healthy product.

The largest varieties of rabbits

The largest rabbits are usually found not among meat, but among meat-skin varieties. The names of these breeds are well known to professional breeders. It is worth comparing them with the classic representatives of the meat production line. Firstly, they do not grow so quickly and gain weight, which is why they consume a little more feed for their breeding. On the other hand, the lag in growth by months is compensated by the receipt of not only the carcass, but also the skins of medium or high quality.

Unfortunately, the carcass of meat-skin rabbits is not too fleshy, and in terms of slaughter yield, they are inferior to representatives of meat varieties. And the quality of fur and skin is not able to compete with the product obtained from the breeds of the skin direction. But, despite the lag in growth by months, and the average quality of the product, it is more convenient for a beginner to work with these animals. They are quite unpretentious and easy to maintain, due to which, in terms of profit, they sometimes outstrip fast-growing, but demanding breeds.

Flandre rabbit breed

Flandre is also called the Belgian giant, and it was used in the development of a number of other meat and meat-skin breeds. It is usually referred to as meat-skin varieties, because, as in the quality of the skin, and in the slaughter yield, it is not a record holder among the representatives of its direction of production. But Flandre sets records for weight and overall body dimensions. Some representatives are capable of reaching a mass equal to 12 kilograms. On average, these animals weigh 7-8 kilograms in adulthood.

The characteristic differences of this variety are a massive and powerful body, and a large head in relation to the body. Given the general size of the animal, these differences stand out a lot against the general background.The color of the Belgians is monochromatic, white, black, various shades of gray, red or beige. Different animals from the same litter may have different shades of fur. But no matter how large this breed is, it has a number of its serious shortcomings, which should also be paid attention to.

First, the Belgian giants take a long time to mature, and, if you look at the months, the masses of a mature animal reach only at the age of 8-9 months. And early slaughter does not bring benefits, since the slaughter yield at a young age is less than that of an adult rabbit. The second problem faced by the breeders of these animals is their exactingness to the conditions of keeping. They need clean, spacious and comfortable rabbitries, otherwise the livestock will begin to die. Finally, these animals are very demanding on the quality and quantity of food they receive.

Rabbit breed Gray Giant

Among the large breeds of the meat-skin direction, it is also worth noting gray giants. They were introduced on the territory of Ukraine back in the 50s of the twentieth century. Representatives of this variety are suitable for novice rabbit breeders, since they do not require separate care and are easily adapted to local conditions. Females of this breed weigh, on average, 4.5-5 kilograms, and males - 6 kilograms. At the same time, individual representatives can grow up to 7 kilograms of live weight.

Although gray giants belong to the meat-skin breeds, the quality of their skin is at an average level. According to this parameter, they are inferior to rabbits of any skin variety. On the other hand, a large area of ​​skin can be obtained from one animal, which is why many farmers appreciate them. In terms of meat quality and slaughter yield, they are somewhat inferior to most meat breeds. These animals are distinguished by average early maturity, but they reproduce quickly, and perfectly look after their own offspring.

Rabbit breed Soviet Chinchilla

The beginner is able to confuse the Soviet Chinchilla and the Gray Giant. The two breeds have similar appearance, weight and skin color. But at the same time, the chinchilla is capable of reaching a greater mass, and it has a slightly better lethal yield. In fact, this variety is perhaps the most convenient for breeding novice rabbit breeders. Although on different forums you can find different opinions on this matter. By the age of 120 days, the average weight of young animals is 3.5 kilograms, and they are already ready for slaughter.

The Soviet chinchilla has a decent lethal output, and very tasty and tender meat, which can be sold without problems. And thoroughbred representatives are able to boast of high quality fur and skins. Moreover, the longer these animals grow, the more meat and skins they give. Therefore, by months, not only the expense increases, but also the potential profit. The weak side of breeding these large animals is nutrition. They only need fresh and high-quality food, otherwise they will start to get sick and die.

Rabbit breed White giant

When breeding these animals, representatives of the Flandre breed were used, which has already been described. In addition to them, representatives of various other breeds were used, which were united by one important circumstance. All rabbits used in the breeding were albinos, which affected the color of this variety. All animals have a pure white fur color, and any deviation is considered a serious marriage. Only animals with snow-white hair are allowed for breeding.

In terms of the quality of the skin and fur, the White Giant rabbits resemble the Soviet chinchilla, and are just as capable of competing with the skinned varieties. And they also have excellent quality meat, so their breeders are excellent at selling both carcasses and skins. You can see how these animals look in photos and videos. The classic white coat and red eyes of an albino will be easily recognized even by a beginner.But, no matter how good this breed is, it has its drawbacks that make it not the most convenient for beginners.

Firstly, the White Giant does not differ in high fertility and early maturity. The price for high quality meat is low growth rates. Slaughter usually takes place no earlier than 7-8 months of life, so that the animal has time to gain weight. Secondly, there is rarely a large number of rabbits in one litter. And therefore, the health of young animals must be closely monitored. Finally, the representatives of this breed have a congenital predisposition to a number of diseases. And therefore, caring for them sometimes causes certain difficulties.

Classic meat breeds of rabbits

The classic meat breeds of rabbits, contrary to popular belief, are often not large in size. The question here is not how much they weigh, but how fast they are gaining a lethal mass. Moreover, these animals usually do not live long with farmers. Breeding individuals are kept up to 3-3.5 years old, and those that are slaughtered for meat - from 2 to 8 months. The main advantage of the varieties of this direction is their early maturity and lethal output. Here are examples of classic meat rabbits:

• New Zealand white breed
• New Zealand red breed
• California rabbits
• European silver
• Poltava silver

These animals have a lower body mass than those of the giants that have already been described. But on the other hand, they are able to gain slaughter weight by 3-5 months of life, which is why it is very profitable to breed them for meat. They are also valued for the quality of the carcass, which is always easy to sell. The pelts of these animals can also be used for sale, but they are usually less valuable than pelts of other varieties. Even in the case of high quality fur, the skin area of ​​a meat rabbit is relatively small.

California breed of rabbits

These animals have a long list of qualities that make them highly valued by professional farmers in the USA and Europe. Californians, despite their relatively low body weight (4.5-5 kilograms on average), are able to quickly gain weight. Young animals are often sent for slaughter at the age of 3-4 months. And they reach puberty only 1-2 months later. Moreover, in one litter there are at least 8 rabbits. Their small size makes it possible to keep these pets in medium-sized rabbitries.

The growth rate of Californian rabbits amazes those accustomed to large, late-maturing varieties. By the end of the second month of life, young animals weigh, on average, 2 kilograms. And thanks to the light skeleton and excellent qualities of the carcass, already at the 3rd month of life, they have a lethal output at the level of adult representatives. Californians are also very undemanding to maintenance and disease resistant. And these qualities were noticed and appreciated by professionals. Here's what they write about this on the forums:

“Recently, we often come across announcements -“ I will sell Californian rabbits ”. And the demand for rabbits of this breed is very high. The thing is that both amateurs and specialists have realized all the benefits of breeding these meat animals. They have everything a breeder needs. Californians are early ripening, fertile, distinguished by high lethal yield, unpretentiousness and good health. That is why in the USA this breed, along with the New Zealand white animals, is the basis of meat rabbit breeding ”.

New Zealand white rabbit breed

It is worth mentioning right away that there is also the New Zealand red breed, from which the white New Zealanders were bred about a century ago. They have a similar constitution, body weight, early maturity and fertility. Only red animals have a bright red coat color and less unpretentiousness. White New Zealanders weigh, on average, 4-5 kilograms, and are not large animals. But on the other hand, they quickly gain weight, and are distinguished by tasty and dietary meat.They also have a high quality white skin.

It was these animals that were taken as the basis for the development of the Californian breed. For this reason, they are similar in size, weight and a number of other parameters. The New Zealanders also have a very good slaughter yield and decent quality meat. By the third month of life, they reach a mass equal to 2.4-3 kilograms. And at this age they are often already sent to slaughter. Breeding New Zealanders is also profitable because they are quite fertile. Bunnies rarely bring fewer than 8 bunnies per litter.

Another advantage of the breed is their ability to adapt to various conditions of detention. After they were brought to Russia, they easily adapted to local conditions. Even in cold regions, they can be kept in cages with slatted or mesh floors. This makes cleaning and keeping the livestock easier. These animals are also distinguished by good health, and are not susceptible to diseases. With timely vaccination, the rabbit breeder will not have any problems in this matter.

Conclusion

All meat breeds of rabbits can be divided essentially into two broad categories. One category is meat-skin animals, which are distinguished by their large size and weight. And the second is relatively small rabbits, whose main characteristics are early maturity and fertility. And you can choose any type of breed for breeding. It is only important that it be adapted to local conditions and moderately unpretentious. Then breeding rabbits will definitely become profitable, with the right approach.