I started a rabbitry when I was a teen with a friend. We started with 4 rabbits 3 does and 1 buck. After the first 3 litters I noticed my friend would not be available when processing time arrived. We stopped raising because he named every rabbit and thought of them as pets and couldn't process or eat them. I am now 59 years old and till today my friend will no eat rabbits because of our endeavor. I am retiring this year and moving to the deep country and will raise rabbits for meet but without any one else to hinder the process.
Maybe he should have named them something like, Lunch, Main Dish, Gravy, and Tasty. It helped us learn to separate food and pets as kids when we were raising our pigs. We called them names like Bacon, Chop, Sausage, and Ham Bone.
Hi, I'm from LA, California but I can't find anybody who can I buy rabbits. I'm very much interested in raising meat rabbits. I appreciate so much if you can help me acquire a trio. I prefer the NZ & the Californian whites.
My grandfather had the same problem with my grandmother naming every animal she stopped when he started labeling the meat packages with their names instead of the type of meat instead of ground beef it would be ground Lucy or instead of pork chops they would have Wilbur chops and so on kind of a mean thing to do but it got the point across she only ever named the dogs and horses after that
We picked the Silver Fox breed because of the limited number of breeders. They are sweet rabbits and excellent mothers that have large litters. Thanks for your channel, you helped us get started.
I see a lot of comments we raise Californians as or primary breed here in Texas we also have Chinchillas. we have found the Californians produce better quality rabbits the chinchillas take a while to grow out and not as much meet for their size. Good video and thanks for the video.. My daughter got second in our county at her show with the Californians.. We have learned a lot from your channel..
Like Stephen said, the TAMUK is an up and comer. Texas A&M University developed them specifically to handle the Texas climate. They're easy to handle, come in a variety of colors. Mine are all white since they're primarily for hides. (Meat goes for barter with friends) This is my first stab at a rabbitry and so far so good.
@@TheRabbitryCenter I would love to hear your input on the Tamuk too. Southeast Texas gets extremely hot. I will also be looking into the Florida whites. Thanks for posting.
Laura, if you are in Texas I would love exchange contact information if you have any all white TAMUKs that are for sale or soon will be. Especially if you have any does with newborn kits.
raising livestock, and growing your own garden and food plot is such a rewarding way to live, and I hope more folks from the city get the opportunity to see the value in it at some point in there life. thanks for watching!
We've got "mutt" rabbits here for meat. We bought them locally and were told they're a New Zealand/Californian/Rex mix. We harvest between 12 and 16 weeks (weather and life depending) and they're usually 3-4lbs with excelleng meat to bone ratios. They're short haired and it's pretty soft. Our 2 black does and our black buck produced white babies with red eyes, which I think are just the cutest rabbits ever. They creep people out but we think they are amazing looking. And they all taste great.
I absolutely adore my champagne d'argents. They are in extremely high demand as a threatened heritage breed. The furs do amazing in the craft market as well, and they are all pretty uniform, so you can sew them together for larger items. I raise angoras, and some angoras make an excellent meat rabbit too. For instance my French angoras, I raise them and show them and use their wool for spinning. They make a great multipurpose animal. The bodies are around 10 pounds as adults, but I cull at 12 ish weeks and they dress out great, plus you get wool!
@@Jc1229100 I have a few due soon. I'm in VA. There are a few breeders around here, a couple in NC, a couple in MN and a couple in NY that I know of. I'm on Magnolia Knoll Farm on fb if you'd like to message me there.
@@Jc1229100 you can use transport. I know a transporter who goes from NY down the coast to fl every other month. If not I do occasionally go to Georgia for shows
IDK how I got from cute rabbit videos to rabbit meat. I've been trying to breed rabbits though not for meat but it's something I don't rule out completely. Good to know there's a channel that caters for that need instead of just the pet side of these cute animals.
There's actually a lot of channels that give information on meat rabbits. At least if you bread your own for food you know they've been treated well and nothing has been added to the meat and it makes you more self sufficient.
@@janinedear-barlow well, most of the ones recommended to me are for pets. I did not actively searched for this channel but glad it was recommended. Update. Had my first tine eating rabbit a month or two ago. It was a rather hard meat to swallow for a few reason. First, he was supposed to be a pet but he was so aggressive. He’s always in the cage after he turned 2 months. He keeps fighting with the other male and even bit me til it bleeds a few times. Despite that, i still think of it as a pet but i cant think of getting rid of him by giving him away. He was around 5 or 6 months by that time and people usually want smallish ones if they want a pet. I have him in a cage but i treated him well and offer him free time to roam around the enclosure when the other rabbits are in their cages, so i also fear he’ll not be treated as well. Secondly, I’ve seen how he was paralyzed and the whole process of cleaning him. It broke my heart. I even helped with holding his feet while the guy who knows about preparing rabbit did his thing. I thought it would be a hands on experience for me. I’d like to learn to do it but nope. It was so hard to watch. I did prepare the meat though with trembling hands after all the unneeded parts were removed. I cooked it myself and we ate it. The meat itself has no smell or aftertaste though i think I should’ve cooked it longer cause it was a little tough. Now, months later, i dont think i’ll do that again. Was thinking, if i would i would have to make a different enclosure away from the ones i keep as pets. I got scared of it after the way he bit me last time (he wont let go), but i’d still try to pet him when i could. It still bothers me to this day but the idea of rabbit meat is not completely thrown out of the window. I think that decision was for the better too. After he was gone, the rest of the rabbits have become calmer. We’ve even gotten closer.
@@avariceseven9443 we had pet rabbits as a child and all the boys fight till the death if they manage to get to each other. Shame he was like that. Apparently if a rabbit isn't happy the meat won't taste as good and will be tough because of the adrenaline. My dad's rabbit chases their cats. We used to have a lop eared rabbit that used to bite. We got him as an adult and he had killed a cat. When I had rabbit it was really tasty. People tend to dispatch them before 15 weeks as the meat gets tough when they get old. Glad your other rabbits are doing better with him gone.
Yea they're great moms I have a female flemish giant crossed with continental! And also has a male continental he got out of his cage with I stepped out the barn bam!!!! He got mama knocked up 13 babies,,, they're just a month old but pretty babies some has the harlequin color
Have had rabbits for over 45 years and tried several breeds. That is the fun part. I quit raising rabbits for 2 years and my tomatoes went from 10 feet and growing all season to 3 feet and weak. Back into rabbits I go. I use the meat more for my LG dogs but eat it and trade it also. Will raise them as long as I can. My best rabbits were a cross between my angoras and lops. Made a 10 pound rabbit that made a nice spinable coat. Not pedigreed but was great for my needs.
I've been raising rabbits for 3 years now. I have had success with NZ and really enjoyed the colors that come with each litter. However after my husband pushed for Tamuks for a year I gave in. I had some trouble with the does at first but they were young and figured it out. However I absolutely love the results we got with using the best NZ seasoned does with Tamuk bucks. The Tamuk Composite kits were fantastic and big. I bread in not only color but my favorite does temperaments. It's been a win win for us. Butcher time weight is 6-8 lbs.
We just got our breeding stock of 3-1 New Zeland reds. So far a very mellow, easy going breed. I cannot wait to get into full production and have the rabbit tractors out in the yard.
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. I just found your channel and can't stop watching. We bought rabbit cages and plan on getting into this soon!
My mother lost our white rabbit in the park across the road, she asked some teenage boys if they’d seen a white rabbit, one of them said, ‘was it carrying a pocket watch and going ‘I’m late, I’m late!’ ....we found him eventually🤦♀️🤦♀️
I live in the south and it is hot. Everyone has New Zealand whites. I was looking for a good smaller meat rabbit that's heat tolerant. Happy to hear your comments on the Florida Whites. Thanks for your videos.
Thanks for all the great information you have made our journey into meat rabbit so much easier. We raise the TAMUK Composite Rabbit Amazing growth rate
thank you for the content. I raised rabbits as a kid and it's nice to hear from those who still do. Would love to get back into it, just don't have a good place for it.
Hi I am from South India All your info is just great extremely clear n direct. Here I breed NZ white it’s the best for meat white giant n what we call here Soviet Cincilla these 3 are heat resistant upto 40-45 C . Here we don’t have a market for the hide n it’s not so popular…. Thanks for all your videos n info Will keep in touch
Californians are the best moms. They even take kittens from other litters. I had a giant papillon/New Zealand mix male that was really a great producer.
I have raised New Zealand Whites, I didn’t love them. I now raise American Blues and Beveren. Beveren are by far my absolute favorite rabbits. Their fur is gorgeous.
Beverens are also super chill... and yes, the fur! Oh, it's so thick and plushy. I can't wait till I've got enough hides from mine to tan and sew into some pillows 🥰
We want to raise rabbits as part of the raw meat diet for our pets. I have my eyes on the Champagne d'argent, Silver Fox and the Cinnamon. The pelts look so good plus the meat will be great addition. Not to mention the poop for gardening! We already have goats, chickens but wanted also rabbits, lambs and quail. All for us but mainly for our pets. :D
I use good pair of kitchen shears to start the cut. Same as processing a Turkey basically. Mine was wild so I checked the liver for spots. Perfect liver. Wild caught rabbit,organic. I'm a bit paranoid about "catching something" ppl here say wait till November to harvest. Boiled 1 rear leg for half hour, cooked with onions for 20 min. Very 👍 No more wasted rabbits after this.
You did a great job on this Video. Thank you. We were just up in Michigan a few weeks ago. We went up for a poultry show and to visit friends. The poultry show was in Hillsdale so we ended up at the auction. My dad had NZ White's for several years, and a few NZ Reds off and on. My first rabbits were NZ Blacks. Over the years we have had several breeds of rabbits and I now have NZ Blacks, Blues, Broken (Just Blacks right now hoping for Broken Blues in our next generationeneration. ) White's and Californians. Hope to find some NZ Reds again soon. Thanks again for the video.
Hi Very informative and knowledgeable video. You speak very well and in a understandable speed. Well done and keep producing good videos on rabbits. Regards
Americans! And they were found by a breeder in California in 1917..awesome personalities, great mom's, grow well and good sized litters .they are a rare heritage breed..
Very good video. I think you covered all the best meat rabbit breeds. Although I raise meat rabbits mine are all cross bred from those you mentioned. Thank you for doing these videos.
Very informative, for those new to it and debating to choose, if possible check out your neatest rabbit club/show/fair and you can view them and talk to the breeders!
thanks for sharing -Great way to find rabbits, we talk about that in our where to find rabbits video th-cam.com/video/F3GyTnEmJb8/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
I am building a rabbitry this fall and have decided to buy Florida Whites. I chose this one due to the compact meat and overall size. I have arthritis so i need a small breed.
Have you ever raised Tamuks? I've been told that they have the best meat to bone ratio and are ready to process in 8 weeks. Plus they eat less than the other breeds. I've raised these now for about 4 years and love them.
My understanding of the tamuk is that it's a New Zealand bloodline with larger than normal ears, which makes them more heat tolerant than the average New Zealand.
I recently started breeding American Chinchilla rabbits. Ive got to say the kits are way bigger than the new Zealands around process time. The does are great mothers. They are a very large breed. They are bigger than any new Zealand I've had. My breeders are around 20-25 lbs. These rabbits are so hard to find though and they are pretty highly priced.
@@roughroadstudio The male is a giant chinchilla(25lbs). The female is an (20lbs) american chinchilla. We recently got another pure breed American chinchilla and she is exactly the same size as the giant.
@@Osmosus787Wow, that's so cool! I wish I could find Chinchillas, I want them but they are not anywhere less than about 7 hours one way, if that. I tried contacting a breeder, no answer.
Thank you. I was researching rabbits so we can eventually start raising them for ourself (they give you so many options - food / fertilizer …) My top two breeds are the Silver Fox and the Chinchilla, with runner ups the New Zeland, Rex and Cinimon.
We LOVE our Rex rabbits! Beautiful pelts and excellent meat! Glad to see they got a mention 😊. We named many our our rabbits after the characters in “Pride and Prejudice”, lol.
@@1roundleft821 We give our breeders names, but not the ones we grow out for food. Our retired breeders we sell as pets or trade for things we need/want, instead of eating them, as a way to honor them for the service they gave us in providing meat for our family. We do care very much for the rabbits we grow out for meat, and take the best care of them we possibly can (check out my husband's channel @HomesteadersontheHill to see a few of our rabbits and our setup :) ). I've seen commercial meat farms, and the big companies have ZERO concern for the lives or wellbeing of their animals-they are simply a means of achieving an end, which is a paycheck. Our animals, on the other hand, who do provide us with meat, are well cared for, well fed, and truly loved and enjoyed while they are living with us. I hope this helps answer your questions!
Thank you for the information, have been waiting for a local breader for over a year to get foundation stock. In western Pennsylvania I am currently looking for another breader to get things going
Tina, I have rabbits as pets, but I have the utmost respect for you all on here. While I don’t think I could raise them and butcher them, I would love to try rabbit meat. But I have so much respect for people that can show compassion and care about an animal, and raise them for meat. Sometimes, it’s easier to harden ourselves and care less about the animal to spare ourselves the heartache of the circle of life (or avoid it like me). If you can balance raising them for meat and be compassionate, man, I have so much respect for that!!
@@daniellesnyder1244 I appreciate you taking the time to write this comment. It means a lot to hear that. Often I wish I could explain my passion for raising livestock better than I do in order to show folks that it doesn't make you heartless to harvest. It's quite the contrary. I truly appreciate raising them and their sacrifice. Thanks for watching!
My rex are tasty and i enjoy showing them. They sell well too. My does tend to be larger, over 10lbs and so far give me larger litters happily. I have a trio of cals that hate being held but are sweet and calmer. The cals seem to do better in the summer heat. Both my breeds have pretty equal kit growth rates. I have found most important the lines you start with in any breed determine growth rates so buyer beware on that one.
I've heard that breeding a New Zealand buck to a Californian doe makes a good meat mutt because Californians tend to produce more milk, resulting in a faster growth rate before weaning.
Absolutely! You get a hybrid vigor when breeding two purebreds the first generation will grow faster be healthier in general -California New Zealand is a terrific cross to fill the freezer.
@@TheRabbitryCenter I hadn't considered using mixed rabbits for breeding. A few years ago I bought breeders from a commercial rabbit farm that had New Zealands, Californians, and Champagnes. They bred their NZ bucks to Californian does because they claimed NZ does don't produce as much milk as Californian does. All the mixed offspring were processed and sold to stores and restaurants, and never used for breeding.
I just got a New Zealand buck as a pet (descendent from a local champion) , i'm gonna mix him with my californian does, excited to see how their offsprings meat is gonna be like. The fur of this little guy is just amazing also .
Hi from Holland MI! I've had many rabbits, but just recently purchased my current only... She's a sweet broken black doe. Mostly satin with some Polish. We bought her with thought for our own family rabbittry and as a pet. I'm learning a lot from your channel. Haven't bred my rabbits before, intentionally. One mated with her brother (should have been sister...) twice when I was small and two litters were lost. 😬 Anyway, definitely have a little trepidation from that, though I was just a kid then. But hopefully this sweet girl will do us well. She's born late November last year, so we're still just waiting. But she's litter trained and half free roaming in the house and she gets on well with my three small kids. She's not skittish at all. I'm amazed. Her dam's litter was 6 kits. Anyway, what are some things I can make sure to do to help her grow well and ready for breeding in the late spring?
Love your channel. Don’t comment often but have learned so much! Getting rabbits in about 2 months. Just getting my homestead up and running. I’m going with the New Zealand. Much WV Love and Many Prayers!
Hello from Belize. Thank you for all your videos. Too bad here in Belize we can only find our "local rabbits". No one seems to have any of the meat breeds. I have 7 rabbits (local) of my own and a half dozen guinea pigs (along with a bunch of different poultry birds). Nevertheless, really appreciate all your amazing videos packed with great info.
Very helpful, really kind spoken & congenial! (I’ve lived in FtW, Texas my whole life… we don’t like the heat either! Don’t let anybody fool ya!) Great info! My brother & I grew up raising all kinds of rabbits since we were very young…. We walked 2 miles to the feed store to buy rabbit chow… I’m 62 yrs old now & mostly a home gardener but have raised chicken & quail but I am still intrigued by & thinking about raising meat rabbits & for pets for my grands too. My brother & I were partial to Checkered Giants. Are there any meat rabbit varieties that would be smaller versions of those? I might just have to get some to keep as pets and breed them & sell as pets….?
thanks for taking the time to write you comment. here’s a video discussing some smaller breeds for pets - you may find it helpful th-cam.com/video/5eSbkU4jRz8/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
People also need to think about a breed that does well where they live. Here in Florida our New Zealands are hands down the best producers in the cooler months but when it gets hot our Rexes really take over.
Thank you for sharing that information cuz that's what I was thinking of. Because I'm in Georgia and they can get hot here but I can also have a couple little cold spells where it's in the teens for a couple of days at night.
Due to crazy circumstances I ended up with a california buck, a palomino buck, a Harlequin doe and an agouti doe... I had planned to breed only one race🙄. A couple of weeks ago we processed our first own rabbits. I don't regret at all mixing the different rabbit races. The amount of meat was very satisfying, and their pelts are beautiful. So honestly, I don't care at all about breeding only one race anymore. Great video as always!
If I was raising strictly for meat my choice would be Californians. I found them to have a better temperament than New Zealands. I recently got back into rabbits and decided to raise Dutch rabbits. Dutch is the most popular pet breed around here which makes them very easy to sell. They don't produce as much meat as any of the medium size breeds but it tastes just as good.
I have done NZ, Calis, and Silver Fox (and crosses). And honestly the "best" depended on my season of life. When it's about the hustle (money or filling your freezer) & you've got a bunch of does, you aren't as concerned with her attitude. She cab be sassy, cold and even aggressive. Your focus may be, you want her to maintain health & produce. That's it. Loss % is just the business aspect & you move on. You accept some higher numbers. But once my children wanted to get involved and I was interested in education, my goals totally shifted. Disposition and handlability became priorities. I demanded more from my herd. I didn't tolerate biting or mothers who repeatedly killed their kits. I would keep a lower producer is she fostered kits or had richer milk. Her kits might hit weight at 8 wks compared to the standard 10-15. Silver fox was my winner! They were my most favorite breed. I raised them for years and would go back in a second. I tried my hand at tanning and I've fallen in love with that aspect now as well. I tan anything I can get my paws on now. 😆 My kids are grown up mostly so now I'm thinking of a mix possibly. More heat tolerant producers, like the Calis and something on the side just for me. I would love to find some Rexes but it's rare in my area. I find everyone cuts with NZ for rigor or out of ignorance and then when their herd loses rigor, they are disenchanted & walk away, leaving a mess of subpar stock behind ti the next group of suckers. They are more likely to breed irresponsibility and not really pay attention to running a good clean program. So I will most likely not go with a NZ. There is just a higher risk of bad genes that end up as culls. When you tend & invest in your livestock, that is never something you want to happen.
We have New Zealand and Silver Fox. We have found that our Silver fox produce more meat and grow faster. We also raise meat chickens, and the rabbit actually tastes better!
Heat can cause infertility can cause bucks to get tuckered out quickly but too much Pellet could be the real culprit. Try cutting back pellet a bit Pay attention to her vent and when she's red and swollen reintroduce the rabbits. Best of luck!
I have been raising New Zealand Whites for about 5 years but also have one Cinnamon buck. I would like to try one of the other breeds you mentioned like the D'Argent or the Silver Fox breed.
They’re hide will be thin until 4 months old at that point it will start to thicken and be a better candidate for furs. Silver fox breed is a a terrific choice
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I started a rabbitry when I was a teen with a friend. We started with 4 rabbits 3 does and 1 buck. After the first 3 litters I noticed my friend would not be available when processing time arrived. We stopped raising because he named every rabbit and thought of them as pets and couldn't process or eat them. I am now 59 years old and till today my friend will no eat rabbits because of our endeavor. I am retiring this year and moving to the deep country and will raise rabbits for meet but without any one else to hinder the process.
Maybe he should have named them something like, Lunch, Main Dish, Gravy, and Tasty. It helped us learn to separate food and pets as kids when we were raising our pigs. We called them names like Bacon, Chop, Sausage, and Ham Bone.
My wife eat out, no problem to eat rabbit or goat, but hell no if it’s from our small farm ;-)
In Germany we don’t name animals if we want to eat them
Hi, I'm from LA, California but I can't find anybody who can I buy rabbits. I'm very much interested in raising meat rabbits. I appreciate so much if you can help me acquire a trio. I prefer the NZ & the Californian whites.
My grandfather had the same problem with my grandmother naming every animal she stopped when he started labeling the meat packages with their names instead of the type of meat instead of ground beef it would be ground Lucy or instead of pork chops they would have Wilbur chops and so on kind of a mean thing to do but it got the point across she only ever named the dogs and horses after that
@@stanleypennock2118 that's actually a great idea
We picked the Silver Fox breed because of the limited number of breeders. They are sweet rabbits and excellent mothers that have large litters. Thanks for your channel, you helped us get started.
That's what I want when I start up again soon :) What part of the world are you in?
We raise silver foxes too. Free range and weigh 5.5-6lbs when cleaned. Best mothers ever.
So did we
sweet, excellent mothers, doesn't sound like something to be used in such a way
Our silver fox are sweet natured and huge. We switched from a silver fox rex cross to straight silver fox
I see a lot of comments we raise Californians as or primary breed here in Texas we also have Chinchillas. we have found the Californians produce better quality rabbits the chinchillas take a while to grow out and not as much meet for their size. Good video and thanks for the video.. My daughter got second in our county at her show with the Californians.. We have learned a lot from your channel..
Thanks for sharing that information.
Congrats to you and your daughter for placing 2nd in the county.
Like Stephen said, the TAMUK is an up and comer. Texas A&M University developed them specifically to handle the Texas climate. They're easy to handle, come in a variety of colors. Mine are all white since they're primarily for hides. (Meat goes for barter with friends)
This is my first stab at a rabbitry and so far so good.
Thanks for sharing
I’m working on a video regarding a different video topic and Tamuks made the list stay tuned for that…
@@TheRabbitryCenter I would love to hear your input on the Tamuk too. Southeast Texas gets extremely hot. I will also be looking into the Florida whites. Thanks for posting.
Laura, if you are in Texas I would love exchange contact information if you have any all white TAMUKs that are for sale or soon will be. Especially if you have any does with newborn kits.
I’m glad you mentioned Cinnamon. They also make great foster mothers.
Thanks for watching!
City folk say I’m horrible for raising for meat but they can take their feelings to someone that cares lol
raising livestock, and growing your own garden and food plot is such a rewarding way to live, and I hope more folks from the city get the opportunity to see the value in it at some point in there life. thanks for watching!
City folk have no idea where their food comes from.
New Zealand number one. Yes yes yes 🙌 got them here in Nova Scotia Canada 🇨🇦 on my homestead
They’re are a terrific breed. Thanks for watching!
Great video thanks.
Timothy hay bales to eat??
We've got "mutt" rabbits here for meat. We bought them locally and were told they're a New Zealand/Californian/Rex mix. We harvest between 12 and 16 weeks (weather and life depending) and they're usually 3-4lbs with excelleng meat to bone ratios. They're short haired and it's pretty soft. Our 2 black does and our black buck produced white babies with red eyes, which I think are just the cutest rabbits ever. They creep people out but we think they are amazing looking. And they all taste great.
Thanks for taking the time to write your comment. I also like the REW's!
I absolutely adore my champagne d'argents. They are in extremely high demand as a threatened heritage breed. The furs do amazing in the craft market as well, and they are all pretty uniform, so you can sew them together for larger items. I raise angoras, and some angoras make an excellent meat rabbit too. For instance my French angoras, I raise them and show them and use their wool for spinning. They make a great multipurpose animal. The bodies are around 10 pounds as adults, but I cull at 12 ish weeks and they dress out great, plus you get wool!
Thanks for sharing
Where would someone find one of these rabbits
@@Jc1229100 I have a few due soon. I'm in VA. There are a few breeders around here, a couple in NC, a couple in MN and a couple in NY that I know of. I'm on Magnolia Knoll Farm on fb if you'd like to message me there.
@@amandajlemen I’m in north fl
@@Jc1229100 you can use transport. I know a transporter who goes from NY down the coast to fl every other month. If not I do occasionally go to Georgia for shows
The Tamuk is a great up and coming meat rabbit. It was bred to be heat tolerant
I have some- I live in Texas
I love my Tamuks in South Carolina! Have a pair of REW and some composites.
IDK how I got from cute rabbit videos to rabbit meat.
I've been trying to breed rabbits though not for meat but it's something I don't rule out completely. Good to know there's a channel that caters for that need instead of just the pet side of these cute animals.
There's actually a lot of channels that give information on meat rabbits. At least if you bread your own for food you know they've been treated well and nothing has been added to the meat and it makes you more self sufficient.
@@janinedear-barlow well, most of the ones recommended to me are for pets. I did not actively searched for this channel but glad it was recommended.
Update. Had my first tine eating rabbit a month or two ago. It was a rather hard meat to swallow for a few reason. First, he was supposed to be a pet but he was so aggressive. He’s always in the cage after he turned 2 months. He keeps fighting with the other male and even bit me til it bleeds a few times. Despite that, i still think of it as a pet but i cant think of getting rid of him by giving him away. He was around 5 or 6 months by that time and people usually want smallish ones if they want a pet. I have him in a cage but i treated him well and offer him free time to roam around the enclosure when the other rabbits are in their cages, so i also fear he’ll not be treated as well.
Secondly, I’ve seen how he was paralyzed and the whole process of cleaning him. It broke my heart. I even helped with holding his feet while the guy who knows about preparing rabbit did his thing. I thought it would be a hands on experience for me. I’d like to learn to do it but nope. It was so hard to watch. I did prepare the meat though with trembling hands after all the unneeded parts were removed. I cooked it myself and we ate it. The meat itself has no smell or aftertaste though i think I should’ve cooked it longer cause it was a little tough.
Now, months later, i dont think i’ll do that again. Was thinking, if i would i would have to make a different enclosure away from the ones i keep as pets. I got scared of it after the way he bit me last time (he wont let go), but i’d still try to pet him when i could. It still bothers me to this day but the idea of rabbit meat is not completely thrown out of the window.
I think that decision was for the better too. After he was gone, the rest of the rabbits have become calmer. We’ve even gotten closer.
@@avariceseven9443 we had pet rabbits as a child and all the boys fight till the death if they manage to get to each other. Shame he was like that. Apparently if a rabbit isn't happy the meat won't taste as good and will be tough because of the adrenaline. My dad's rabbit chases their cats.
We used to have a lop eared rabbit that used to bite. We got him as an adult and he had killed a cat.
When I had rabbit it was really tasty. People tend to dispatch them before 15 weeks as the meat gets tough when they get old.
Glad your other rabbits are doing better with him gone.
We have crossed our Flemish giants with Californians! Our Flemish is a great mom! Hopefully it turns out good. I’ll keep you posted!
Update? Giant Californians or mini flemish?
Yea they're great moms I have a female flemish giant crossed with continental! And also has a male continental he got out of his cage with I stepped out the barn bam!!!! He got mama knocked up 13 babies,,, they're just a month old but pretty babies some has the harlequin color
@@cebasmb8250how was the meat to bone ratio on the mixes?
@@BrookeBishop-hi3hesorry never got to butcher any of them they were sold Ike instantly
Just started our meat rabbit journey in March and have process one litter after selling the nicest ones as pets. It's been amazing and so delish
I’m so glad it’s working out.
Hey how is it going?
Have had rabbits for over 45 years and tried several breeds. That is the fun part. I quit raising rabbits for 2 years and my tomatoes went from 10 feet and growing all season to 3 feet and weak. Back into rabbits I go. I use the meat more for my LG dogs but eat it and trade it also. Will raise them as long as I can. My best rabbits were a cross between my angoras and lops. Made a 10 pound rabbit that made a nice spinable coat. Not pedigreed but was great for my needs.
That's great thanks for commenting I enjoyed reading it!
Just started my own rabbitry this year, and have been a long time viewer of you channel. Thanks for all your great tips and info!
That means a lot thank you for staying tuned in with us!
I've been raising rabbits for 3 years now. I have had success with NZ and really enjoyed the colors that come with each litter. However after my husband pushed for Tamuks for a year I gave in. I had some trouble with the does at first but they were young and figured it out. However I absolutely love the results we got with using the best NZ seasoned does with Tamuk bucks. The Tamuk Composite kits were fantastic and big. I bread in not only color but my favorite does temperaments. It's been a win win for us. Butcher time weight is 6-8 lbs.
Interesting. 8lbs is terrific weight. How old are they when you process? How many weeks? Thanks
We just got our breeding stock of 3-1 New Zeland reds. So far a very mellow, easy going breed. I cannot wait to get into full production and have the rabbit tractors out in the yard.
Best of luck with your Rabbits! Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. I just found your channel and can't stop watching. We bought rabbit cages and plan on getting into this soon!
You’re very welcome. I’m so glad you enjoy the channel. Best of luck with your rabbitry!
My mother lost our white rabbit in the park across the road, she asked some teenage boys if they’d seen a white rabbit, one of them said, ‘was it carrying a pocket watch and going ‘I’m late, I’m late!’ ....we found him eventually🤦♀️🤦♀️
Thanks for sharing!
I live in the south and it is hot.
Everyone has New Zealand whites.
I was looking for a good smaller meat rabbit that's heat tolerant. Happy to hear your comments on the Florida Whites. Thanks for your videos.
You're so welcome!
I love California, rabbits 🐇
they’re terrific rabbits, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for all the great information you have made our journey into meat rabbit so much easier. We raise the TAMUK Composite Rabbit Amazing growth rate
Tamuk Rabbits are great rabbits. Thanks so much for commenting!
+1 for the Tamuk! Fastest growing meat breed I have. Incredible genetics.
What other kind of rabbits do you have? Thanks for sharing.
thank you for the content. I raised rabbits as a kid and it's nice to hear from those who still do. Would love to get back into it, just don't have a good place for it.
Thanks for watching and I appreciate you commenting
Hi I am from South India
All your info is just great extremely clear n direct.
Here I breed NZ white it’s the best for meat white giant n what we call here Soviet Cincilla these 3 are heat resistant upto 40-45 C .
Here we don’t have a market for the hide n it’s not so popular….
Thanks for all your videos n info
Will keep in touch
Thanks so much for sharing!
I never new that the Giants don't have as much meet as the med rabbit great to no thank you for sharing ..
Thanks for watching
Thank you for sharing. Planning to raise New Zealand white rabbit & Californian rabbit.
Those are Terrific choices
Best of luck with your rabbitry!
I my breed New Zealand/American Chinchilla buck to my Californian does and I love the look of them. They’re a chunk of meat in 3 months.
Sounds like a good production.
Thanks for sharing!
Californians are the best moms. They even take kittens from other litters.
I had a giant papillon/New Zealand mix male that was really a great producer.
you bet! californian as well as several other breeds foster kits quite easily. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I have raised New Zealand Whites, I didn’t love them. I now raise American Blues and Beveren. Beveren are by far my absolute favorite rabbits. Their fur is gorgeous.
Thanks for sharing your experiences
Beverens are also super chill... and yes, the fur! Oh, it's so thick and plushy. I can't wait till I've got enough hides from mine to tan and sew into some pillows 🥰
@@rosem7042 yes!!! I’m working on that as well! Plushy is for sure the right word!
We want to raise rabbits as part of the raw meat diet for our pets. I have my eyes on the Champagne d'argent, Silver Fox and the Cinnamon. The pelts look so good plus the meat will be great addition. Not to mention the poop for gardening! We already have goats, chickens but wanted also rabbits, lambs and quail. All for us but mainly for our pets. :D
Thanks for watching!
Love love love my New Zealand whites and reds. Love love love them. 😍😍😍😍😍
Thanks for commenting. New Zealand’s are awesome!
Thanks for another great video! I have Silver Fox rabbits.
Beautiful Rabbits!
I use good pair of kitchen shears to start the cut. Same as processing a Turkey basically. Mine was wild so I checked the liver for spots. Perfect liver. Wild caught rabbit,organic. I'm a bit paranoid about "catching something" ppl here say wait till November to harvest.
Boiled 1 rear leg for half hour, cooked with onions for 20 min. Very 👍 No more wasted rabbits after this.
Terrific thanks for taking the time to write your comment and share!
Just started considering doing meat rabbits I have 2 rexes and a 3/4 new Zealand this helped a lot
thanks for watching. best of luck with your future production!
I love my Texas hardy TAMUK Composites! Not ARBA but it's a darn good animal.
Thanks for sharing your comments!
I've heard good things about tamuk bloodlines.
Where did you get yours ?
County homesteading group.
You did a great job on this Video. Thank you. We were just up in Michigan a few weeks ago. We went up for a poultry show and to visit friends. The poultry show was in Hillsdale so we ended up at the auction. My dad had NZ White's for several years, and a few NZ Reds off and on. My first rabbits were NZ Blacks. Over the years we have had several breeds of rabbits and I now have NZ Blacks, Blues, Broken (Just Blacks right now hoping for Broken Blues in our next generationeneration. ) White's and Californians. Hope to find some NZ Reds again soon. Thanks again for the video.
That was generation. Don't know what happened.
Thanks for commenting I appreciate the info
I just got home with a new bunch of rabbits! They are Rex. Red and red with white. I will be asking lots of questions. Thank you
Please let me know if I can help
Thank you I will.
Hi
Very informative and knowledgeable video. You speak very well and in a understandable speed.
Well done and keep producing good videos on rabbits.
Regards
I'm so glad you liked it!
Americans! And they were found by a breeder in California in 1917..awesome personalities, great mom's, grow well and good sized litters .they are a rare heritage breed..
Thank you very much for sharing!
Thank you. It is a good presentation. I learned a lot from your show.
I’m so glad you found the video helpful!
Very good video. I think you covered all the best meat rabbit breeds. Although I raise meat rabbits mine are all cross bred from those you mentioned. Thank you for doing these videos.
Your so welcome. Thanks for watching!
I'm just getting started your channel is going to be a big help
Thank you
You're very welcome! Please let me know if you need anything.
Very informative, for those new to it and debating to choose, if possible check out your neatest rabbit club/show/fair and you can view them and talk to the breeders!
thanks for sharing -Great way to find rabbits, we talk about that in our where to find rabbits video
th-cam.com/video/F3GyTnEmJb8/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Want lots of good meat? Then the Flemish Giant is your huckleberry.
Always really good!😊😊
Thanks for sharing!
Great video... We hope that you talk about the taste... We know that its littel different between all types of rabbits
I am building a rabbitry this fall and have decided to buy Florida Whites. I chose this one due to the compact meat and overall size. I have arthritis so i need a small breed.
Good luck with your new Rabbitry!
Florida White's make nice smaller meat rabbits. We have raised them before. Don't see them around much any more.
@@johnlasley5234 I don’t recall seeing them advertised in mid Michigan at all
Have you ever raised Tamuks? I've been told that they have the best meat to bone ratio and are ready to process in 8 weeks. Plus they eat less than the other breeds. I've raised these now for about 4 years and love them.
My understanding of the tamuk is that it's a New Zealand bloodline with larger than normal ears, which makes them more heat tolerant than the average New Zealand.
I love my havana rabbits. Was surprised you picked the one that was bred from them, but since I am the only one in my family, havanas are worth it.
Havanas are a terrific choice!
We have New Zealand mix does and a silver fox buck. Silver fox are a fantastic breed if you can find them!! They grow fast and a 60/40 meat to bone
Thanks so much for sharing!
I recently started breeding American Chinchilla rabbits. Ive got to say the kits are way bigger than the new Zealands around process time. The does are great mothers. They are a very large breed. They are bigger than any new Zealand I've had. My breeders are around 20-25 lbs. These rabbits are so hard to find though and they are pretty highly priced.
Sounds like you have the Giant Chinchillas!
@@roughroadstudio The male is a giant chinchilla(25lbs). The female is an (20lbs) american chinchilla. We recently got another pure breed American chinchilla and she is exactly the same size as the giant.
@@Osmosus787Wow, that's so cool! I wish I could find Chinchillas, I want them but they are not anywhere less than about 7 hours one way, if that. I tried contacting a breeder, no answer.
@@roughroadstudio Are you close to NC?
@@Osmosus787 Not at all or I'd ask to be on a waiting list! 😁
thanks for your example 😮😮😍😍
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. I was researching rabbits so we can eventually start raising them for ourself (they give you so many options - food / fertilizer …)
My top two breeds are the Silver Fox and the Chinchilla, with runner ups the New Zeland, Rex and Cinimon.
Good breeds best of luck with your future rabbitry!
We LOVE our Rex rabbits! Beautiful pelts and excellent meat! Glad to see they got a mention 😊. We named many our our rabbits after the characters in “Pride and Prejudice”, lol.
Rex rabbits are gorgeous.Thanks for commenting!
I'm lost lol you love your rabbits but you eat them? You even give them names?
@@1roundleft821 We give our breeders names, but not the ones we grow out for food. Our retired breeders we sell as pets or trade for things we need/want, instead of eating them, as a way to honor them for the service they gave us in providing meat for our family. We do care very much for the rabbits we grow out for meat, and take the best care of them we possibly can (check out my husband's channel @HomesteadersontheHill to see a few of our rabbits and our setup :) ). I've seen commercial meat farms, and the big companies have ZERO concern for the lives or wellbeing of their animals-they are simply a means of achieving an end, which is a paycheck. Our animals, on the other hand, who do provide us with meat, are well cared for, well fed, and truly loved and enjoyed while they are living with us. I hope this helps answer your questions!
I know this is a late reply. But couldn't help myself. I also loved Pride and Prejudice. My buck is "Mr. DARCY"
recently started my own rabbitry , i have newzealand whites , carlifornians , flemish cross and very cute dutch rabbits
Very nice
Thanks for sharing!
Hi..... Thank you 🎥👍👍👍
Hello!
You’re very welcome
And thanks for watching!
Thank you for the information, have been waiting for a local breader for over a year to get foundation stock. In western Pennsylvania I am currently looking for another breader to get things going
Getting started usually takes a few road trips. I hope you find your rabbits
Thanks for the information
You're very welcome!
My favorite rabbit is the thouringer they are great long living big litter and good with heat and cold here in northern Michigan
Thanks for sharing!
Glad to find your Channel
Thanks for watching!
Your videos are a Godsend to me. Very good info!
Thanks great infos
Im so glad you liked it!
Great video. We have satins and Rex rabbits starting at trying our hands at raising meat rabbits.
Thanks you so much for sharing!
thank you for mentioning that those of us who raise for meat are not monsters! :)
Absolutely. Just because we’re meat eaters doesn’t mean we don’t love animals. It’s quite the opposite. Thank you for commenting
Tina, I have rabbits as pets, but I have the utmost respect for you all on here. While I don’t think I could raise them and butcher them, I would love to try rabbit meat. But I have so much respect for people that can show compassion and care about an animal, and raise them for meat. Sometimes, it’s easier to harden ourselves and care less about the animal to spare ourselves the heartache of the circle of life (or avoid it like me). If you can balance raising them for meat and be compassionate, man, I have so much respect for that!!
@@daniellesnyder1244 I appreciate you taking the time to write this comment. It means a lot to hear that. Often I wish I could explain my passion for raising livestock better than I do in order to show folks that it doesn't make you heartless to harvest. It's quite the contrary. I truly appreciate raising them and their sacrifice. Thanks for watching!
@@daniellesnyder1244 :)
My rex are tasty and i enjoy showing them. They sell well too. My does tend to be larger, over 10lbs and so far give me larger litters happily.
I have a trio of cals that hate being held but are sweet and calmer. The cals seem to do better in the summer heat.
Both my breeds have pretty equal kit growth rates. I have found most important the lines you start with in any breed determine growth rates so buyer beware on that one.
Tasty as in you eat them?
@@obriantomlinson2776 What do you think "meat rabbits" mean?
@Sarah Tonin we have pet as well.
In 2016, ARBA recognized the 3rd argent breed, the Argent Brun. They’re brown with silvering.
Thanks for sharing!
Silver fox will always be my favorite ❤
thanks for sharing!
For our rabbitry the Lion Head is the best. Great temperment, coat is amazing.
Thank you for sharing. They are adorable rabbits! My wife’s favorite.
I've heard that breeding a New Zealand buck to a Californian doe makes a good meat mutt because Californians tend to produce more milk, resulting in a faster growth rate before weaning.
Absolutely! You get a hybrid vigor when breeding two purebreds the first generation will grow faster be healthier in general -California New Zealand is a terrific cross to fill the freezer.
@@TheRabbitryCenter I hadn't considered using mixed rabbits for breeding. A few years ago I bought breeders from a commercial rabbit farm that had New Zealands, Californians, and Champagnes. They bred their NZ bucks to Californian does because they claimed NZ does don't produce as much milk as Californian does. All the mixed offspring were processed and sold to stores and restaurants, and never used for breeding.
I just got a New Zealand buck as a pet (descendent from a local champion) , i'm gonna mix him with my californian does, excited to see how their offsprings meat is gonna be like. The fur of this little guy is just amazing also .
That’s a terrific cross
Good luck with your breeding!
I'm beginning to think about rabbits but I really am creeped out by the white rabbits with red eyes.. 😅😅
You’re not alone. For this reason we bred blue eyes into our white rabbits
The whites here tend to be timid here reds very friendly. As usual great info and I agree 🥰👍
Thank you for sharing your experiences and watching.
@@TheRabbitryCenter always a pleasure
I started my rabbitry in March! I raise mini Rex right now but I would love to get into nz and silver fox one day!!!!
Great rabbits
My best is the free rabbits we were given a few tears ago n they are doing just fine Nom Nom Nom
thanks for sharing!
Hi from Holland MI! I've had many rabbits, but just recently purchased my current only... She's a sweet broken black doe. Mostly satin with some Polish. We bought her with thought for our own family rabbittry and as a pet. I'm learning a lot from your channel. Haven't bred my rabbits before, intentionally. One mated with her brother (should have been sister...) twice when I was small and two litters were lost. 😬 Anyway, definitely have a little trepidation from that, though I was just a kid then. But hopefully this sweet girl will do us well. She's born late November last year, so we're still just waiting. But she's litter trained and half free roaming in the house and she gets on well with my three small kids. She's not skittish at all. I'm amazed. Her dam's litter was 6 kits. Anyway, what are some things I can make sure to do to help her grow well and ready for breeding in the late spring?
It doesn’t take a lot. Open feed until 12 weeks then cut back to 1 cup of 16% protein pellet a day
Provide clean water and hay every day.
You will need to update. They now accept the Brun as an Argente as well.
thank you for sharing. I will be sure to make an updated video in the future. Stay tuned…
I was somewhat kidding. You did a great job and I purchased the course recently. I'll be relying on your information heavily.
@@TheRabbitryCenter
so glad to hear that. Thank you very much
Love your channel. Don’t comment often but have learned so much! Getting rabbits in about 2 months. Just getting my homestead up and running. I’m going with the New Zealand. Much WV Love and Many Prayers!
Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment. Best of luck with your homestead.
My top 5 would be #1 silver fox #2 American blue or white #3 American Chinchilla #4 New Zealands #5 standard Rex
Hello from Belize. Thank you for all your videos. Too bad here in Belize we can only find our "local rabbits". No one seems to have any of the meat breeds. I have 7 rabbits (local) of my own and a half dozen guinea pigs (along with a bunch of different poultry birds). Nevertheless, really appreciate all your amazing videos packed with great info.
Wow you sound very busy. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Awesome content
Thanks for watching. I’m glad you like the channel!
Very helpful, really kind spoken & congenial! (I’ve lived in FtW, Texas my whole life… we don’t like the heat either! Don’t let anybody fool ya!) Great info! My brother & I grew up raising all kinds of rabbits since we were very young…. We walked 2 miles to the feed store to buy rabbit chow… I’m 62 yrs old now & mostly a home gardener but have raised chicken & quail but I am still intrigued by & thinking about raising meat rabbits & for pets for my grands too. My brother & I were partial to Checkered Giants. Are there any meat rabbit varieties that would be smaller versions of those? I might just have to get some to keep as pets and breed them & sell as pets….?
thanks for taking the time to write you comment. here’s a video discussing some smaller breeds for pets - you may find it helpful
th-cam.com/video/5eSbkU4jRz8/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
People also need to think about a breed that does well where they live. Here in Florida our New Zealands are hands down the best producers in the cooler months but when it gets hot our Rexes really take over.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you for sharing that information cuz that's what I was thinking of. Because I'm in Georgia and they can get hot here but I can also have a couple little cold spells where it's in the teens for a couple of days at night.
Super presentation. Bravo!
Thank you very much!
Due to crazy circumstances I ended up with a california buck, a palomino buck, a Harlequin doe and an agouti doe... I had planned to breed only one race🙄. A couple of weeks ago we processed our first own rabbits. I don't regret at all mixing the different rabbit races. The amount of meat was very satisfying, and their pelts are beautiful.
So honestly, I don't care at all about breeding only one race anymore.
Great video as always!
Great video i think you should have mentioned the tamuk I grow New Zealand and checkered giants god bless
Thank you so much for for watching and mentioning Tamuk rabbits designed specifically to deal with hot temperatures awesome rabbits.
Thank you for sharing!
You’re so welcome!
Well put together video. You have gained a subscriber.
I’m glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
We have Rex, they are the only rabbit that im not severely allergic to due to their velvet fur.
Thanks for sharing!
If I was raising strictly for meat my choice would be Californians. I found them to have a better temperament than New Zealands. I recently got back into rabbits and decided to raise Dutch rabbits. Dutch is the most popular pet breed around here which makes them very easy to sell. They don't produce as much meat as any of the medium size breeds but it tastes just as good.
My Rabbit is so smart he trust me like a Dog!
Thanks for sharing!
Great video thank you.
You’re very welcome
I have done NZ, Calis, and Silver Fox (and crosses). And honestly the "best" depended on my season of life.
When it's about the hustle (money or filling your freezer) & you've got a bunch of does, you aren't as concerned with her attitude. She cab be sassy, cold and even aggressive. Your focus may be, you want her to maintain health & produce. That's it. Loss % is just the business aspect & you move on. You accept some higher numbers.
But once my children wanted to get involved and I was interested in education, my goals totally shifted. Disposition and handlability became priorities. I demanded more from my herd. I didn't tolerate biting or mothers who repeatedly killed their kits. I would keep a lower producer is she fostered kits or had richer milk. Her kits might hit weight at 8 wks compared to the standard 10-15. Silver fox was my winner! They were my most favorite breed. I raised them for years and would go back in a second.
I tried my hand at tanning and I've fallen in love with that aspect now as well. I tan anything I can get my paws on now. 😆
My kids are grown up mostly so now I'm thinking of a mix possibly. More heat tolerant producers, like the Calis and something on the side just for me. I would love to find some Rexes but it's rare in my area.
I find everyone cuts with NZ for rigor or out of ignorance and then when their herd loses rigor, they are disenchanted & walk away, leaving a mess of subpar stock behind ti the next group of suckers. They are more likely to breed irresponsibility and not really pay attention to running a good clean program. So I will most likely not go with a NZ. There is just a higher risk of bad genes that end up as culls. When you tend & invest in your livestock, that is never something you want to happen.
We have New Zealand and Silver Fox. We have found that our Silver fox produce more meat and grow faster. We also raise meat chickens, and the rabbit actually tastes better!
Thanks so much for sharing that information!
That is the cross I am considering. Silver fox buck and NZ does. I used to raise California and NZs. The NZ does were wonderful mothers.
Honestly I love my New Zealand doe, she’s a good mom and is friendly ish lol
I agree. They’re a terrific breed
Quick question I’m in mid Michigan and wondering if the recent heat we have had would make my does not interested in breeding
Heat can cause infertility can cause bucks to get tuckered out quickly but too much Pellet could be the real culprit.
Try cutting back pellet a bit
Pay attention to her vent and when she's red and swollen reintroduce the rabbits.
Best of luck!
I will be starting to raise rabbits soon
Best of luck with your new Rabbitry!
Excellent channel!
Thanks for watching!
I have been raising New Zealand Whites for about 5 years but also have one Cinnamon buck. I would like to try one of the other breeds you mentioned like the D'Argent or the Silver Fox breed.
Good choices! Thanks for watching
You forgot the Silver Fox! :O
Thanks for sharing your comment!
good video. i am most interested in silver fox rabbits for meat and pelts, is there a noticable difference in hide thickness with them as ive heard?
They’re hide will be thin until 4 months old at that point it will start to thicken and be a better candidate for furs.
Silver fox breed is a a terrific choice