Choosing the breed of rabbit for your rabbit breeding business will depend on the purpose of the farm. Some farms are dedicated to producing rabbits for meat, while others keep rabbits for their fur. Outside of the realm of rabbit breeding, breeders also raise rabbits for the pet market or as a show animal.
When it comes to choosing a meat rabbit, there are actually two breeds to choose from. One is the New Zealand White, commonly known in rabbit circles as the NZW, and the other is the Californian. Desirable traits for the NZW include good carcass quality, fast growth rate, good reproductive rates, and maternal ability. An NZW can reach 3 kg (6.6 lb) within 12–14 weeks of age. The slaughter percentage of the rabbit carcass is of the order of 50 to 54% of the live weight.
The Californian is slightly smaller than the NZW and has a lower final weight but has a higher percentage of carcass slaughter, since it is a meatier rabbit proportionally speaking. Hybrids are produced by crossing Californian males with New Zealand white goats, to try to combine the best of both characteristics. Sometimes the Flemish Giant can also be used as a terminal sire with the goal of higher meat yields despite its lower reproductive rates.
Other rabbit breeds that might be considered for rabbit meat include the American, Chinchilla, Silver Fox, and Giant Chinchilla, but almost all European rabbit breeders use the NZW.
If you are just getting started with your rabbit breeding business, it would be wise to start small, say with 20 females and $2, to get a feel for the business before fully investing. Always try to buy from registered breeders as this should give you some guarantee of purchase. A good registered breeder will always try to correct a bad situation, since it is his reputation that is at stake. Also, not buying from registered owners carries the danger of buying non-purebred, injured, possibly sick, or genetically defective animals.
If you want additional protection, buy a registered rabbit. A registered rabbit is one that has been examined and certified as free from defects and disqualifications by an authorized registrar of the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The registrar has determined that the rabbit is healthy and a good representation of the breed. The registrar examines the rabbit’s pedigree to see if it is accurate and complete. A copy of the rabbit’s pedigree is sent to ARBA. Purchasing a registered rabbit greatly reduces the chances of purchasing “unfit” animals for whatever purpose you have chosen to keep rabbits.
Some rabbit breeding companies focus on raising rabbits for their fur. There are a number of rabbit species selectively bred for the purpose of harvesting their fur for the garment industry. The Angora rabbit is one of the most suitable for this purpose, but other breeds such as the Sable, Satin, Silver Fox and Rex could be considered. Fur can make some amazing rabbit products, although this may not be to everyone’s taste.
Thus, rabbit farming is divided into two main camps, one for meat and the other for fur, with the New Zealand White and Californian bred for meat, and the Angora for fur.