Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
American Chinchilla.
The large, meaty type of the chinchilla furred rabbits, the American chin-
chillas mature between 9 to 12 pounds. These rabbits tend to have large, successful litters and are
good tempered to handle. Modern meat strains have a quicker growth rate to reach a size suitable
for butchering.
American Rabbit.
Bred both for meat and fur, this breed of rabbit originated in Pasadena,
California. The mature weight is between 9 to 12 pounds and the breed is considered endangered.
Enthusiasts love the breed for its gorgeous blue fur and good temperament.
Beveren.
This breed originated in western Belgium. Litters are large, and the young grow fairly
fast, making them a good converter of feed to meat. Beveren does are typically docile and make
good mothers, and in some areas they are used as a large pet breed because of their gentle disposi-
tion. The Beveren is a hardy breed that has a mature weight of 8 to 12 pounds.
Blanc de Hotot.
The mature weight of the buck is between 8 to 12 pounds, and the doe weighs
from 9 to 11 pounds full-grown. An active, hardy breed, the Blanc de Hotot is highly attractive
with a glossy white coat and thin black coloring around the eyes. They are fairly good mothers,
have good-sized litters, and the young grow rather fast, making them an excellent choice for meat
production. Blanc de Hotots are considered an endangered breed.
California White.
This is one of the primary breeds of meat rabbits in the United States today and
is popular for the quick growth of the baby rabbits. The bucks mature between 8 to 10 pounds,
while does generally reach mature weights of 9 to 11 pounds. Many breeders are now experiment-
ing with crosses to help lend the California White's faster growth rates with the size seen in some of
the other breeds.
Checkered Giant.
This rabbit breed has well-defined, black and white markings. The mature
weight of the buck is 11 pounds, and 12 pounds for the doe. These are not considered one of the
most common meat rabbit breeds because purebreds can take longer to mature, and are prone to
aggressive behavior. Some meat breeders will use one-quarter crosses as breeding stock to try to
increase mature size.
Cinnamon.
Cinnamon rabbits are a rare-to-find breed that originated in Montana. Their mature
weight is from 8 to 11 pounds. A hardy breed, it usually lives between 5 and 8 years, and has a
calm, easy-to-handle demeanor that enjoys attention. They have a commercial meat-type build and
are good for meat production.
Flemish Giant.
This large-sized rabbit, which weighs from 12 to 14 pounds in maturity, came
from the Flanders region. It takes 1 to 1
1
⁄
2
years to reach their full maturity. Pure-breed Flemish
Giants aren't typically used in meat production because of the long maturation times, but crosses
are used with care.
New Zealand.
This breed, along with Californias, are now the top meat rabbit breed. Bucks
weigh 9 to 11 pounds at maturity, and does weigh 10 to 12 pounds. The large litter sizes and
