Rabbit varieties which are better

The breeds of rabbits are so diverse and numerous that it can be difficult for a beginner breeder to decide which breed to choose for further breeding? In order not to be mistaken in the choice, you must first determine for yourself what you want to get from rabbits: a lot of tasty meat, valuable skins, or both?

Meat breeds

For breeding at home, it is advisable to choose those breeds of rabbits that tolerate Russian climatic conditions well and do not require special care, then rabbit breeding will be profitable, even if you use the products for personal purposes, and not for sale.

Meat breeds - rabbits quickly gain weight and by six months they can be slaughtered for meat

All rabbit breeds are conventionally divided into three categories:

• meat breeds - rabbits quickly gain weight and by six months they can be slaughtered for meat;
• downy breeds with thick, soft down, which is widely used in light industry;
• meat and skin - from such rabbits you can get both beautiful skins and a sufficient amount of dietary meat.

There are also decorative breeds of rabbits suitable for keeping in an apartment. These little fluffy animals are bred instead of pets, for their own pleasure. Especially popular is the lop-eared rabbit with long hanging ears.

Rabbit video

Flanders

The largest representatives of the meat breed are the massive Flandre rabbits. It was this breed that became the progenitor for the rest of the large-sized meat breeds. Flandres are real giant rabbits, they grow up to 70 cm in length, their body weight can reach ten kilograms! Clumsy, lop-eared hulks have a strong muscular body and tender, soft meat, their thick fur has various shades, reminiscent of kangaroo, beaver fur, calm and balanced character. No wonder Flandre rabbits are so popular all over the world!

However, giant rabbits, the photos of which are amazing for everyone, are considered not the most effective in rabbit breeding. Ears take up a lot of space, consume a large amount of food, rabbits are late maturity and often experience problems in childbirth, and it is more difficult to care for a large skin. Therefore, experienced rabbit breeders often prefer more effective breeds that are devoid of the listed disadvantages.But this does not mean that giant rabbits do not deserve attention - it all depends on the goals for which you are engaged in rabbit farming and on your capabilities.

Flandres are real giant rabbits, they grow up to 70 cm in length, body weight can reach ten kilograms

New Zealand white

The average weight of adults reaches five kilograms. The carcass of animals is knocked down, dense, there are no excess fat deposits on the muscles. The color of the animals is pure white, the body is compact, with developed muscles, the head is small with erect short ears, a strong constitution, the bones are well developed.

The New Zealand white rabbit is characterized by active growth at an early age: by three months it weighs about three kilograms. Rabbits are fertile, able to feed up to twelve young rabbits. New Zealand rabbits are also good for their calm disposition and adaptability to keeping on mesh floors, due to the fact that the soles of the rabbit's feet are covered with dense wool.

Ram

A feature of ram rabbits is long ears, for which the breed received the second name rabbit lop-eared

Sheep rabbits, which are widespread in Western European countries, also belong to meat breeds. In length rabbits of the ram breed reach 70 cm, body weight in some cases is 7-8 kg. The skin is velvety, of various colors. Representatives of the breed have a strong body and excellent taste. Bunnies bring nine rabbits for one okrol.

The peculiarity of ram rabbits is long ears, for which the breed received the second name rabbit lop-eared. There is an opinion that it is thanks to the lop-earedness, which impairs the hearing of animals, that these rabbits have a calm, docile nature.

Downy breeds

White downy

In Russia, the breed is represented by several types with different weights and different qualities of down, there are individuals with black and blue coloration. On average, the weight of adults of the White Down breed is four kilograms, the constitution of full-aged animals is strong, the body is 55 cm long. From one animal it is possible to get up to 700 g of fluff in a year, and from rabbits - up to a kilogram. In White downy rabbits, the down is light, strong, elastic and gentle, and the rabbits themselves are enduring and well acclimatized.

In White Down Rabbits, the down is light, strong, elastic and gentle.

Angora downy

The Angora rabbit, which resembles a fluffy ball in appearance, is popular as a pet animal, moreover, it has a friendly and playful character. If you study the rabbit breeds online with pictures, the adorable animals of this fluffy breed will definitely grab your attention!

The weight of adult Angora rabbits is only 3 kg, the rabbits grow rather slowly - only by the age of six months they gain a mass of two kilograms. The female rabbit, on average, brings about six young rabbits. Disadvantages of Angora rabbits: they need to be cut regularly and can only be kept in warm, dry, spacious cages.

Meat and skin breeds

Black-brown

Bunnies bring eight rabbits each, which grow rather quickly

The brown rabbit is distinguished by its special endurance and unpretentiousness. In addition, representatives of the Black-Brown breed have tasty meat and amazingly beautiful skin of the original color, reminiscent of the color of a black-brown fox. Bunnies bring eight rabbits each, which grow rather quickly.

Butterfly

This breed is popular among rabbit breeders due to the unique color of the skin with specks resembling butterfly wings against the background of white fur. According to the color of the spots, the breed is subdivided into blue, yellow, black and gray. Rabbits Butterflies are well adapted to the Russian climate, produce delicious meat, rabbits are highly fertile.

Video about the breed of rabbits "Butterfly"

Soviet chinchilla

The special, heterogeneous color of the fur determines the popularity of rabbits of this breed among domestic rabbit breeders (how beautiful these rabbits bark with fur, the photo cannot fully convey). Silver-blue skins are widely used in sewing fur products, both in their natural form and as an imitation of real chinchillas under the fur.

In addition to beautiful fur, Chinchilla rabbits are distinguished by tasty meat and good growth rates: their live weight reaches three kilograms by three months, and adults weigh from five to seven kilograms. For one okrol, the rabbits bring eight rabbits.

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Best breed.

Does it all depend on the breed of rabbits?

I am often asked: "What breed of rabbits is the most profitable to breed?" I always answer that all breeds of rabbits are worthy of attention, that the main thing is not the breed, but how the rabbit breeder approaches the matter, how conscientiously he does his favorite pastime. Business or making money on rabbits differs from many others in that you are dealing with living beings who have their own habits and oddities, addictions and preferences, their weaknesses and propensities for diseases, their own character in the end. Therefore, your business needs to be promoted taking into account this small remark. You can familiarize yourself with some of the most popular breeds of rabbits and their features on my website. In general, of all existing breeds of rabbits around the world, no more than 20 are actively bred. First, I suggest looking at what rabbits of the main bred breeds look like. To do this, just go to the site's photo gallery. In this case, this page will not be closed.

And what can influence the choice of the breed?

Immediately I want to make a reservation that in the future I will bear in mind exactly the meat direction of breeding, for those interested in the skin direction I can advise you to get acquainted with the unsurpassed Soviet chinchilla, as well as with the Rex breed. In terms of market value, the skins of these rabbits are on a par with mink skins.

You can learn some idea about the preferences of your colleagues - rabbit breeders from our statistics. The information we collected from 2012 to 2017 is in the archive at the address Almost 20 thousand rabbit breeders from all regions of the former union took part in the survey. If you wish, you can participate in the creation of a database of new, more complete statistics. Anonymity is guaranteed, as it should be.

CLUE:

• 1. Indicate the breed (s) of rabbits you are raising. To do this, check the boxes in the required boxes.
• 2. Click on the "SEND" button at the bottom of the list and click "View previous answers" in the window that opens.
• 3. Do you just want to see the statistics? Just skip the first step of this guide.

If you are breeding not one, but several breeds, click with the left mouse on several squares opposite them.

The choice of the breed of course depends on the conditions of their keeping and the method of breeding. All breeds of rabbits were purposefully bred for a specific climatic zone and mainly for keeping in ordinary cages. And if these conditions are changed in the future, the rabbit will feel, to put it mildly, uncomfortable. With that in mind, I advise you to ask what kind of rabbits are bred in your area. A more complete consultation can be provided in the nearest rabbit nursery. By the way, it is also the best place to buy rabbits for breeding.

For example, the Western European giant Flanders takes root very poorly in the expanses of the former Soviet Union, special heated cells are needed for its maintenance, which becomes more and more problematic in the face of constantly rising energy prices. Our breeders pay more and more attention to white and gray giants adapted to local conditions. They are, of course, inferior in size to flanders, but they are unpretentious to food, fertile and tolerate the winters of central Russia well.As for the more severe climate, no one will give you a guarantee of successful breeding here. Giants and giants are not suitable for breeding in pits. Practice shows that rabbits - average peasants - dig holes better. But for balconies and loggias giants are perfect, here they are warm and individual approach and "food on request."

The return on feed is higher in "average" rabbits.

Look out for medium-sized rabbits (sometimes called medium-large). After all, as for the economy, or, as they say, the payback of feed, here, too, not everything is unambiguous. This largely depends on the feed itself. For example, on farms in Europe, the use of balanced granules has long been practiced, which fully cover all the needs of the rabbit's body. In fact, only granules are fed to him and also water is supplied. It turned out that with such feeding it is more profitable to breed medium-sized rabbits. Their digestive system is more suitable for intensive feeding, they gain weight faster, are quite fertile, and rabbits have well-developed maternal instincts.

The conclusion of the Europeans is unambiguous, when feeding with granules - the return on feed is higher in "average" rabbits. Our breeders also actively breed medium-sized rabbits - butterflies, Viennese blue, Californian, New Zealand reds and whites ... This is also supported by the difference in the reproductive ability of animals. After all, the more often the rabbit shows hunting, which means she becomes pregnant, the shorter the time cycle of "downtime" without the delivery of products. It is estimated that the average size of the female hunt begins on the 125th day, and the large one on the 180th day. Giant males also mature about a month and a half later than their average counterparts.

In terms of quality, the skins noticeably outperform the middle peasants. You can view and compare specific figures by visiting the corresponding pages of our site.

Advantages of white rabbits (albinos).

You can save a little more money when breeding rabbits if you have albinos, there are several of these breeds. Here are just a few: White New Zealand, White Pannon, White Giant. Here, with a certain amount of truth, you can add a Californian with a Butterfly. This whole cohort is distinguished by a calmer disposition, does not spend extra energy on fights and running around. This means less feed is needed to maintain and gain weight. The fatty layer is also noticeably easier to build up. On all large farms, they mainly stop at albinos. (See video below).

World trend in rabbit breeding.

If you look at the average statistical data, then throughout the world as a whole, giant rabbits have lost their leading positions, even in those countries where they were bred and they were considered a national treasure.

California rabbit

In recent years, the ranking has been held by the California and New Zealand rabbit breeds. And this is also directly related to the emergence of new technologies and new types of feed. And what is there to add if a 4.5-kilogram female regularly brings 8 rabbits, which after 3 months look like adults with a slaughter weight of under 3 kilograms? Interestingly, cases of a particular rabbit gaining more than 5 kilograms are not welcome and are regarded as careless use of funds. It’s a paradox, but here the rule “the more the better” does not work. Giant rabbits are increasingly moving into the category of decorative pets. They have a docile character, calm disposition, sociable with the owners.

Is everything acceptable to us?

You may ask why we still have such strong positions of rabbits - giants.Primarily due to the high cost of pelleted feed. It is much more profitable for our rabbit breeder, especially a small one, to feed rabbits with grass, hay, branches and mash with grain waste. Our giants assimilate them perfectly and do not get fat for a long time, retain their reproductive ability. Established habits and traditions still play an important role. If the farm is doing well, it brings a stable profit, it is sometimes quite difficult to "break" yourself and start a new breed.

Giant rabbits are perfect for Mikhailov's minifarms, which were "sharpened" for this breed. However, this technique is already more than 20 years old, and for all its attractiveness, it has not gained much mass. In the countries of Western Europe, newer farms have already been developed and introduced, where there is complete automation and mechanization and where medium-sized rabbits are raised. Most of our fellow citizens cannot afford them. Heating alone, but what is artificial insemination worth? For those who are interested in Western technologies of intensive breeding, I can recommend watching a short video:

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Today, more than 20 breeds of rabbits are raised in our country. Moreover, half of them belong to the meat industry. Indeed, many representatives of modern catering, meat producers are happy to cooperate with farms that breed rabbits. The meat of this animal is dietary, very tender and juicy. But due to the variety of breeds, many novice breeders are lost and cannot make a choice. This article will tell you what are the best breeds of rabbits for breeding for meat, and what you can feed.

general characteristics

Rabbits are meat, meat-skin, decorative and wild. Beef rabbits are undoubtedly the most sought after. All varieties have distinctive features. But there is also something that unites them.

So, the general characteristics of meat rabbits are given below:

• High growth rate after weaning of rabbits.
• High survival rate of pups.
• High fertility and good productivity.
• Great weight.
• High knockdown index. This indicator increases with increasing body weight of the animal.
• Excellent health.
• Good early maturity.
• Unpretentiousness to maintenance and care.

Meat varieties

To understand which breed of rabbits is best raised for meat, you need to understand the varieties of these animals. There are many breeds. And each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of content.

Considering the early maturing meat breeds of rabbits, the following are the most popular types:

1. California.
2. Black and brown.
3. Soviet chinchilla.
4. New Zealand white and red.
5. Butterfly.
6. Varieties of the giant type (Belgian giant).

Some of the given breeds belong to the meat-and-skin direction. But the excellent skin in this case is rather a pleasant addition. After all, these areas are characterized by:

• Fast weight gain.
• Rapid puberty.
• Fertility. So meat-skin rabbits are capable of bringing up to 10 babies in one okrol.
• Relative fatness. When slaughtered, representatives of this type can weigh up to 5 kg. True, there are breeders who manage to bring the weight up to 9 kg.

The best meat breeds of rabbits are called broiler, for example, the white pannon belongs to them. Among them, it is worth considering in more detail the Soviet chinchilla, white and gray giants, silver and Vienna blue rabbit, rex, butterfly, California rabbit, Poltava silver, pannon, flander and some others.

Soviet chinchilla

The breed was bred by zootechnicians from Saratov and Novosibirsk by means of reproductive crossing.Scientists aimed to obtain a rabbit with a large body weight, high-quality down. An animal that is able to easily adapt to the changeable climate characteristic of Russia. The breed is distinguished by fertility, wide and slender body, small head, soft and shiny, gray-blue coat. Such purebred meat rabbits weigh an average of about 5 kg. For one okrol, the female gives up to 8 rabbits. Young growth grows very quickly and after 120 days has a weight of 4 kg. The approximate meat yield is 63%.

White and gray giant

Giant rabbits of meat breeds also have excellent characteristics: white and gray giant. The White Giant is the most popular breed among breeders. Since animals are distinguished by good weight gain and a friendly disposition. This species was bred in the 19th century through careful selection. Animals have a strong, elongated body, a well-developed chest, and a small head. The average weight is about 5.5 kg. Sometimes the animal can gain weight up to 8 kg. For okrol, the rabbit can give 7-8 babies. The rate of weight gain in young animals is average. White giants are the most unpretentious in keeping, rarely get sick and reproduce well. The meat yield from the carcass is about 83%.

Gray giants also fell in love with domestic rabbit breeders for their quick weight gain, ease of care. The body of these animals is strong, knocked down. Gray giants are mobile and have excellent maternal instinct. For example, a rabbit can feed other people's babies. Up to 83% of pure meat can be obtained from one carcass. What are the best breeds of rabbits for meat trends - gray or white giants, it is up to the breeder to decide. Since both have excellent characteristics, both in terms of cultivation and in terms of meat yield.

Poltava silver

Before deciding which meat breeds of rabbits are best to breed, it is worth considering such a variety as a silver rabbit. This breed was bred by zootechnicians of the Poltava and Tula regions in 1952 through careful selection. The animal has a wide body, a voluminous chest, a small head. Differs in vitality. The average weight is 4.5 kg. But sometimes it can go up to 6 kg. Silvery rabbits are fertile. The female is capable of giving 8 rabbits per round. Youngsters are gaining weight at an accelerated pace. Considering the fast growing meat breeds of rabbits, this variety can be called the best. Therefore, it is often chosen for slaughtering purposes.

Vienna blue rabbits

The Viennese blue rabbits were bred in Austria by crossing the Flanders and Moravian rabbits. In appearance, these animals are not very large, but they grow quickly. Animals belong to the meat-and-skin direction, and the black-brown breed also belongs to this direction. The body is oblong, slender, well-developed musculature. Average weight - 4.6-5 kg. At a time, the rabbit can give birth to 9 babies weighing 72 g each. Already after 2 months, young animals weigh almost 2 kg, and after 3 - 2.6 kg. When asked what breeds of rabbits are better to breed for meat in our country, the answer is simple - Viennese blue. After all, it is this breed that is resistant to strong weather changes. Young growth tolerates even severe frosts well.

Rabbit Rex

Rabbits of the Rex breed were bred in the 20th century in France. But they came to our country from Germany. They differ in small fertility. An adult animal weighs about 4 kg. The body has a delicate constitution, not knocked down, the skeleton is thin and light, the chest is deep. The rate of weight gain in young animals is average. Upon reaching the age of one month, babies weigh only 700 g, and by 4 months they gain only up to 2.4 kg. For one okrol, the female gives 5 rabbits. But the meat of this breed of rabbits of the meat direction is characterized by a delicate taste, dietary. Rex pelts are also highly prized. You can read more about how to properly dress the skins here.

Rabbit Butterfly

Butterfly rabbits appeared in Belarus.Bunnies give good offspring - up to 8 rabbits at a time. The average weight of an adult is 4-4.9 kg. The body is strong, the chest is voluminous, the back is wide, the limbs are muscular and strong. The coat is very beautiful, thick, with chinchilla spots. Rabbits of this breed quickly adapt to climate change. Therefore, when considering breeds of rabbits for breeding for meat, breeders often choose the breed of a butterfly.

Flanders

If you need the most meaty breeds of rabbits, you should pay attention to the flanders variety. Often they are used not only for home, but also for industrial breeding - these are breeding rabbits. These individuals have the status of broilers. Already upon reaching 2 months of age, young animals weigh more than 2 kg. The maximum weight of an adult flanders is up to 25 kg. The body is long, the chest is wide, the back is slightly humped. The fur is beautiful and thick. The color can be different: yellow-gray, dark gray or hare. The meat yield is not bad - about 80%.

Riesen

The Risen breed belongs to giant breeds. Adult animals can weigh up to 15 kg. The coat is thick and dense. The color is very diverse: black, dark gray, sand, blue. From one carcass, the yield is up to 83% of meat. The truth depends on the care and living conditions.

Features of choice

When choosing rabbits for the meat direction, you need to take into account a number of parameters. Among them: size, constitution and early maturity. It is also important to pay attention to physiological characteristics. For example, how easily the animal can reproduce the livestock, the resistance of the animal to diseases (whether vaccinations are necessary), the peculiarities of its feeding, the need for special conditions of detention. For more information about diseases and methods of treating rabbits, see the article: Existing diseases of rabbits, and their symptoms and treatment on their own.

Considering the cost of rabbits of meat breeds, it should be noted that it can be different. It all depends on the age of the animal. So, young growth from 1 month costs about 200 rubles, from 2 months - about 450 rubles. By purchasing a 3-month-old rabbit, you will have to pay 700 rubles, and a 4-month rabbit - all 1000 rubles. The price of rabbits of meat breeds depends on the specific variety. The choice of a particular breed depends on the breeding method and conditions of detention.

For meat, it is best to breed New Zealand reds and whites, as well as California rabbits.

If you need large carcasses, the choice should be stopped on the Strokachi, Flandra and German Riesen breeds. But we must remember that the West European giant Flanders does not take root well in Russia. For its successful cultivation, special heated cages are needed.

Breeding and crossing of meat breeds

Rabbit breeding is one of the most profitable and popular areas in the business. After all, animals are distinguished by good fertility. Rabbit breeders write various articles on the topic of rabbit breeding and crossbreeding. For example, A. Popov - breeding meat rabbits in France is a very interesting topic.

Crossing rabbits of different breeds for meat differs from classical breeding in that animals of different species are mated. As a result of such a mating, an offspring is obtained, which is called a crossbreed. The heredity of the resulting individual will be somewhat shaky. But the growth rate and vitality will be increased.

Crossbreeding can be industrial and introductory. The first is carried out with the aim of increasing the economic benefits of farmed animals. That is, to obtain better quality skins and fluff, increase the weight of the carcass, improve the vitality. It is often used on farms and household complexes. Introductory crossing is carried out in order to eliminate the shortcomings of individuals, to improve certain indicators.

Rabbit care

The weight gain of animals, their health and vitality depends on how correct the care of rabbits of meat breeds will be.

Before buying an animal, you should take care of its future home.The cage is either an aviary, it does not matter. The main thing is that the rabbit has its own space. Crowding of individuals should not be allowed. Rabbits do not like heat and humidity. Therefore, direct sunlight should be avoided on the cells. Do not keep animals in rooms with high levels of humidity.

It is also important to ensure a balanced diet. This is what meat rabbits are fed with: cabbage, beets, carrots, potatoes. You also need to take care of good compound feed. They love these animals and grain. You shouldn't forget about vitamins for rabbits of meat breeds either. They help to strengthen the immune system, make the coat more beautiful and elastic. So you can add meat and bone meal to the compound feed. It is rich in calcium. And table salt supplies the body with the necessary minerals. Fresh grass can be fed in summer, and hay can be used in winter. It is an excellent source of fiber and vitamins.

Rabbits are often bred for meat. There are many different breeds. But in order to get presentable carcasses, it is better to give preference to large varieties. For example, rex, white and gray giant, butterfly. Their cost depends on the age and the specific breed. But on average, buying and growing will cost 1000 rubles. Rabbit grooming is very important. The health, weight gain and fertility of animals depend on it.

Rabbit breeding has already become widespread in Europe and the United States, and now it is gaining momentum in Russia. This is mainly due to the emergence of new breeding species. Rabbits of meat breeds are capable of producing more meat than ordinary rabbits previously gave. An overview of meat and down breeds is presented in this article.

Rabbits of meat breeds

Popular meat rabbits

California breeding gained its popularity due to its early ripening. Already at the age of 3 months Californians can be prepared for slaughter, and at 4 - for the first mating and breeding. Californian rabbit meat has a very thin fat layer, therefore it is considered dietary. The bones of these animals are strong enough that they can easily grow up to 4-5 kg. The wool of such rabbits is white. Dark spots may appear on the head, limbs and ears.

California rabbits

Gray giant originally from Ukraine, therefore it is especially popular in the territory of the former USSR. The body length of some individuals reaches 60 cm, and their weight can be 6-7 kg. The color of representatives of this species is most often dark gray, sometimes resembling the color of a wild hare. After 3 months from birth, such a rabbit gains about 3 kg. The meat of the gray giant is dietary, although the amount of fat in it is greater than that of other representatives of meat breeds.

Gray giant

Soviet chinchilla was withdrawn back in the USSR. The breed was the result of the mating of a white giant and a chinchilla. It is considered to be cold-resistant and is excellent for farming in the northern regions of Russia. After 3 months after birth, the baby rabbit can gain 3 - 3.5 kg. Adult rabbits weigh up to 6 kg and can reach 72 cm in length. This species is characterized by the viability of the offspring and a large litter in the litter.

Soviet chinchilla

Flandre - one of the oldest breeds of meat rabbits. In terms of its external parameters, it is significantly ahead of its counterparts. It is noteworthy that flanders are also used to produce wool. Adults reach 8 kg, are distinguished by increased fertility and calmness. Rabbits of this breed easily get along with other animals, are not aggressive and do not require special care. Flanders are also used to create new species. For example, as a result of his mating with a domestic outbred rabbit, a gray giant was bred.

Flandre (Belgian giant)

Breed European silver originates from France. This species is able to easily tolerate the specific climate of Russia.It is relevant for breeding on home farms, where in a short time it gives a good weight gain and disease-resistant offspring. This breed is considered economical in breeding, since it takes only 3 kg of feed to add 1 kg of weight to an adult. The average weight of an adult rabbit is 5-7 kg. The meat is characterized by low fiber content and due to this it has a more advantageous presentation.

European silver

Why is meat rabbit products good?

Rabbit meat is mainly composed of muscle tissue. Due to this fact, the nutritional value of rabbit meat is significantly higher than that of meat from other animals. One adult carcass contains up to 85% muscle tissue. Rabbit meat contains iron, B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium salts. Rabbit meat is very low in cholesterol, making it easy to digest and considered dietary. The meat of young rabbits is considered to be the most delicious. It is quite simple to choose one: its carcass should not exceed 1 kg in weight. Outwardly, rabbit meat looks white with a pinkish tinge. It is quite dense, while not greasy. The bones are thin.

Rabbit meat

Meat-skin breeds

There are several breeds in this direction, however, the atypical climate of Russia has made the favorites among local farmers. These include the black-brown rabbit, butterfly, New Zealand and Viennese blue.

Black-brown breed It stands out at the same time with good weight and a skin resembling a black-brown fox in its qualities. This species has long established itself among Russian farmers. You can grow them as practical as possible. The adult female gains weight up to 5 kg, and the male can overcome the 7 kg mark. A three-month-old baby rabbit reaches a weight of 4 kg. They are unpretentious to living conditions and do not require special care. Such qualities are appreciated mainly by novice farmers for the relatively low investment in breeding rabbits.

Black-brown rabbit

Rabbit butterfly got its name because of the specific color. On their light skin there are small black specks resembling butterfly wings. At the same time, the color range of the color of rabbits of this breed is quite wide. Butterflies are gray, yellow, blue and black. The average weight of an adult rabbit does not exceed 5 kg, and the body length is 55 - 60 cm. A female can lead up to 8 rabbits in one round. Due to the good milkiness of rabbits, the probability of survival of the entire offspring is quite high. This condition has made butterflies a popular species among professional rabbit breeders.

Rabbit butterfly

New Zealand breed in the United States is the benchmark for rabbit breeding. Representatives of this breed are grown on an industrial scale for meat and skins, taken to exhibitions, bought for children and even for laboratory research. The weight of an adult male does not exceed 4.5 kg. With just 3 kg of concentrated feed, you can get an increase in the weight of an animal equal to 1 kg, and young animals at the age of three months reach a weight of 3 kg. The meat yield from a slaughtered adult rabbit is about 75%. This early maturity makes the New Zealand rabbit a favorite among professional farmers.

New Zealand rabbit

Vienna Blue Rabbit has a gray-blue color. This breed appeared in Russia in the 60s of the twentieth century and was subject to a number of selection changes before it came to the farms of domestic rabbit breeders. Today this breed is used both for decorative and industrial purposes. Viennese blue rabbits produce good tender meat and quality fluffy skins. The average weight of an adult individual reaches 5 kg, and the length does not exceed 60 cm. Slaughter yield is 55 - 60%.

Vienna Blue Rabbit

Downy Rabbits

Such rabbits are kept for the purpose of obtaining fluff. Raw materials in the form of meat and skins are secondary. Down is used in knitwear and felt factories.The rabbit is considered the most suitable animal for this, since its coat is 95% undercoat fluff, and the coarser hairs take up only 5% of the total volume. Russian rabbit breeders breed two types: white and angora rabbit.

Downy bunny haircut

To white downy in Russia include Kursk and Kirov rabbits. The former are also considered a species of Angora rabbits, while the latter are distinguished by a powerful skeleton. Both varieties are characterized by unpretentiousness to living conditions, food and temperature changes. An adult rabbit of the Kirov selection gives up to 800 g of down a year. There are rabbits that can bring 1 kg of material. Rabbits of the Kursk selection are less fluffy and bring up to 500 g of down, taking into account one mating and rounding per year. They are able to feed up to 7 rabbits at a time. At the age of two months, they are combed out for the first time, but not more often than twice a week.

White downy rabbit

Angora downy bunnies have down similar to the down of angora goat. Females and males weigh about 3 kg. Up to 300 g of raw materials are combed from rabbits per year. Such a small amount of raw materials is justified by its high demand and price in the market. Due to its unpretentiousness and easy tolerance to climate change, this species is used by breeders to reproduce new breeds.

Angora downy rabbit

How to choose a breed for breeding

Rabbit breeders claim: all breeds of rabbits are worthy of attention and have advantages. The main thing in this matter is not the breed of the rabbit, but how the farmer treats his wards. All rabbits are living things. They have their own habits, specific diseases and needs. Their interests must be reckoned with in order to obtain quality raw materials in the form of meat, skins or fluff. Nevertheless, farmers single out the demanded breeds from the rest.

Variety of rabbit breeds

1. For meat, white and gray giants are most often used. Don't chase giants like flanders. They gain impressive weight, but they do it for a long time.
2. For the skin in Russia, Soviet chinchillas and the Rex breed are bred. Both species are adapted for breeding in Russia. Therefore, they will be less whimsical in the selection of food and organization of living conditions. Rabbit skins of these breeds are valued on a par with mink skins.
3. For fluff, Kursk and Kirov rabbits are bred in our country. They were bred in Russia, therefore they are well adapted to the local climate. Compared to their Turkish counterparts, they are less whimsical and capable of producing strong offspring.

Tips for choosing rabbits for breeding

Tribal rabbit on display

Not all rabbits can adequately represent their breeding species. Care must be taken when choosing the earliest members of your flock. The quality of raw materials and offspring will depend on them. When choosing founders for your flock, use the following guidelines:

1. First of all, decide what result you expect from your farm: meat, skins or wool. Depending on the results you want, choose a breed.
2. Consider the specifics of your region. Give preference to local breeds that are adapted to the climate of your place of residence.
3. Purchase animals only from professional breeders.
4. Check the rabbit for external parameters to breed standards. Deformation of the spine or extremities, malocclusion of the teeth, blurred eyes, lethargy in behavior and falling to the side are not allowed.
5. Find out as much information as you can about the parents of the rabbits you are about to buy. The healthier and more fertile they turn out to be, the better the quality of their offspring.
6. If the color of the rabbit is not important for you, choose albinos. They are calmer, and therefore do not expend their energy on fights and running. This saves on feed.

The larger the rabbit, the better?

Giant rabbit

Most novice rabbit breeders think so.In practice, giant rabbits are less profitable to breed. The main disadvantages of large beef breeds are as follows:

1. While average rabbits reach sexual maturity at the age of 4 months, giants are interested in mating only after 6 months of life and should reach a weight of more than 5 kg.
2. Large breeds require special care in the form of larger cages. This entails additional costs.
3. Giants need a balanced diet. Lack of protein can lead to obesity, and excess weight is bad for sexual function.
4. Large weight puts excessive pressure on the limbs of the animal. The paws become deformed and often get caught in bowel movements. These rabbits must be additionally cleaned to preserve the quality of their skins.
5. Excess weight in females causes complications during birth. This entails the risk of death of part of the offspring.

Tips for keeping and breeding beef breeds

Rabbit meat breeds (in comparison)

At first glance, it may seem that breeding rabbits is a very troublesome and time-consuming process. Subject to the basic rules of their content, the work bears good results. A novice rabbit breeder should familiarize himself with the professional literature in advance and follow the rules to help avoid common beginner mistakes:

1. The cages should be placed outdoors rather than indoors. To do this, you need to choose a place on a hill away from prying eyes.
2. The most acceptable material for the cage is wood. From the inside, such a structure should be knocked off with iron in the corners, otherwise the rabbit will gnaw a hole. The floors of the cage are made double: a grate is placed on top, and a pallet is made from below. This simplifies the cleaning process.
3. Do not place the cages in a draft. This leads to the death of young animals and even adults.
4. Provide free access to food, as it can eat up to 80 times a day. The diet should include hay, vegetables, green feed and compound feed.
5. The optimum room temperature for keeping rabbits is +10 - +20 degrees with a humidity of 60 - 70%.
6. The longer the bunnies are with the bunny after birth, the higher the likelihood of their survival.

   Breeding features of rabbits when breeding for meat

How to keep and breed downy bunnies

The density and quality of rabbit fluff depends on the conditions of its keeping. To make the animal feel comfortable and give the maximum possible amount of raw materials, follow these rules:

1. The rabbit should be combed once every two weeks to prevent the fluff from sticking together.
2. The first haircut of the rabbit fluff is done at the age of 2.5 months. Then the procedure is repeated approximately every 2 months as the hair growth is completed. The plucking of the fluff starts from the front paws. Gradually move to the back through the sides. In the tail area, pinching should be done especially carefully so as not to tear the skin.
3. After plucking the fluff, the animals need protein to restore the cover. You can add it to your diet with peas, lentils or special vitamins.
4. Before the onset of cold weather, during pinching, leave a little fluff to the rabbit so that it does not freeze.
5. The downy rabbit's cage must be kept clean. Frequent bowel movements lead to contamination and discoloration of the down.

Downy rabbits are bred in two ways. In the first case, the target raw material is fluff. In this case, 70% of females are kept for him, and the remaining 30% mate for the sake of replenishing the herd. In the second case, rabbits are kept both for the sake of fluff and for the sake of meat. Each female is plucked and each of them is allowed to mate.

Downy breeds of rabbits (in comparison)

Downy rabbits do not have enough milk to nurture their offspring. This responsibility is fully assumed by the farmer.

How to feed meat rabbits

In order to grow muscle tissue faster and not body fat, it is necessary to use balanced feed, not forgetting that the rabbit is a herbivore.

Approximate diet of meat rabbits

After raising the rabbits, she feeds the brood with her milk. This lasts up to three months, after which the young are planted. In addition to milk, rabbits should also receive fresh grass or hay, grain mixtures and compound feed, vitamins and additives. The animal must have free access to food. It should be remembered that wet food and vegetables must be given fresh and the remains must be removed from the cage after a few hours. This way you can avoid the negative consequences of the fermentation process of spoiled foods.

The approximate daily feed rate of an adult rabbit should contain 60 - 80 g of concentrated feed, up to 200 g of vegetables, about 700 g of fresh grass and up to 200 g of hay. Depending on the season, the amount of ingredients in the diet can be changed. For example, in winter it is recommended to increase the amount of hay. You can also use good quality silage and tree branches.

Many rabbit breeders resort to introducing vitamins into the diet of rabbits. Most often they are added to wet food. There are also ready-made premixes - specialized vitamin and mineral complexes, in which the amounts of substances necessary for the rabbit are optimized. In addition to vitamins, they contain essential minerals such as zinc, phosphorus, calcium and manganese. There are also protein-vitamin-mineral supplements (BVMD), which are added proteins of plant origin. They contribute to the correct absorption of feed and give a greater weight gain per 1 kg, while reducing the total amount of feed consumed by the animal.

Diseases and treatment of meat rabbits

Rabbit on treatment

It is no secret that it is easier to prevent the appearance of a disease than to get rid of its consequences later. To do this, do not neglect the following rules:

• keep cells clean;
• every quarter, carry out a complete disinfection of the cages and feeders;
• keep your inventory clean;
• carry out additional disinfection before rounding;
• start quarantine on the farm: place rabbits brought here from other farms for 20 days (during this time some diseases may appear), sick rabbits in order to avoid spreading the disease to all livestock;
• carry out preventive examinations of animals.

Rabbit diseases can have viral and non-viral etiology. In the first case, with some diseases, even people can suffer after contact with rabbits. In the second case, the disease is not transmitted and has a local character. Most often, non-viral diseases are associated with problems of the musculoskeletal system and the work of internal organs.

Common infectious diseases of rabbits

Coccidiosis affects the liver and intestines of the animal. As a result of the disease, the rabbit falls to its feet and then dies within two weeks. Rabbits under the age of 4 months are susceptible to infection. Parasites enter the body of a healthy animal through the feces of an infected rabbit. Symptoms include lethargy, poor appetite, diarrhea or constipation. The rabbit's fur dulls, the belly is swollen. Treatment is carried out with drugs from the sulfonamide class as prescribed by a veterinarian. Disease prevention can be achieved by optimizing nutrition and keeping cells clean.

Liver of a rabbit patient with coccidosis

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Myxomatosis in rabbits - a dangerous disease. It is carried by blood-sucking insects and rodents. Swelling and inflammation of the mucous membranes are considered signs of the disease. The animal develops nodular tumors in the head, genitals and anus. The eyes are swollen, the ears are not standing.With a complicated course of the disease, the rabbit dies in 1 - 2 weeks. As a preventive measure, the cage is disinfected, the droppings are removed from it and buried at a depth of more than 1m. Infected and cured individuals are slaughtered, while neither meat nor skin is used, but burned. Myxomatosis cannot be treated. In case of illness, the veterinary service must be notified. Its specialists will determine the radius of infection and, if necessary, introduce quarantine on the import and export of rabbit meat in the village. As a preventive measure, the livestock is vaccinated.

Rabbit myxomatosis

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Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (HBVD)) Is a viral infection that spreads very quickly through the air. The rabbit dies without any specific symptoms. Signs of other illnesses may appear: fever, cramps, diarrhea, nosebleeds, etc. The risk group does not include only rabbits under the age of 1 month. All other individuals, especially pregnant and lactating rabbits, will be infected with a 96% probability. The disease can be prevented by vaccination.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease

Infectious stomatitis is a common disease in rabbit farms. Its signs are considered the appearance of plaque on the tongue, which later develops into ulcers. Eating becomes painful and the rabbit stops eating. The animal's salivation increases. This leads to irritation of the skin around the mouth and hair loss. The process of eating is accompanied by chomping. If stomatitis got to your farm, isolate sick rabbits, then disinfect all cells and add 0.1 g of streptocide to the diet of healthy animals. Infected individuals are given half a streptocide tablet, after 10 hours, the drug is repeated. Recovered animals should not be allowed to mate. They are used for meat and hides.

Stomatitis in rabbits

Nematodirosis - rabbit disease caused by worms. It is quite difficult to diagnose it, since the parasite can be in the intestines of an animal for years and exert its poison on other internal organs. Slow growth is considered a symptom of the possible presence of worms in the rabbit's body. Degilmentization is carried out with naphtamon. As a preventive measure, they use the recommendations for keeping rabbits: they disinfect the cages once a quarter, pour boiling water over the feeders and drinkers, and regularly remove waste from the cages.

The spread of helminths in the rabbit body

Video - Rabbit meat breeds

Rabbit, chinchilla or nutria: who is better?

If your goal is to obtain meat, then it is better to choose a rabbit. He is the largest of the proposed species of animals, less whimsical to care for and quickly gains weight. If you decide to have an animal for decorative purposes, the chinchilla will be a more exotic option, and therefore more interesting. Only here it is necessary to take into account that the rabbit at home behaves like a dog: he loves people, he himself jumps into their arms and endures scratching with pleasure. This cannot be said about the chinchilla: it does not tolerate contact with a person, leads an active lifestyle mainly at night and only cares about the cleanliness of its fur. If we compare a rabbit with nutria in terms of meat, the former has much more of it. At the same time, nutria meat is considered more tasty and delicious. In terms of wool quality, the rabbit is inferior to nutria and chinchilla. Their fur is much more expensive and is more popular among fashionistas. If you look at the issue from the point of view of obtaining offspring, then it takes about a month for a rabbit to bear rabbits, and for a nutria and chinchilla - more than three.

Rabbit skins

Thus, the rabbit is a godsend for the farmer.He quickly gains weight, gives a high percentage of meat per carcass, does not require a large amount of feed and is ready for slaughter from the third month of life. Rabbits breed well and bear offspring quickly. They can be bred for wool, meat or fluff, as pets or for laboratory research. Rabbits are unpretentious in care and keeping conditions, they do not require large expenses and a huge territory. All these qualities make rabbit breeding a profitable activity for farmers and households.