# Best breed of rabbits?



## NEWCOMER (Jun 1, 2021)

Hello, 

I am back with more questions as normal and I want to know what's (in your opinion and based off your experience) the best breed of rabbits. Answer below ⤵️


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## Kusanar (Jun 1, 2021)

It depends greatly on what you want to do with the rabbits. Show? Pets? Meat? Something else?


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## JakeM (Jun 1, 2021)

Agreed with Kusanar, really depends on what your goal(s) is with your herd. With 50 accepted breeds for showing (and more that are either in the works or just enjoyed by people), there is a lot of variety and a breed (or two) that works best for everyone.


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## NEWCOMER (Jun 2, 2021)

Well... Was looking for a breed sorta high in demand, might eat it if world ends, and not so much for show. I want a very docile rabbit and I also want to buy a male Does this help?


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## HornyToadAcres (Jun 9, 2021)

NEWCOMER said:


> Well... Was looking for a breed sorta high in demand, might eat it if world ends, and not so much for show. I want a very docile rabbit and I also want to buy a male Does this help?


It would help but not here. High demand depends almost entirely on your local area. I suggest you join some local rabbit groups - plenty on FB if you are on there but you can probably find others.

I started with Tamuks in December. They are not for showing, mostly for meat, can be pets and bred specifically to stand the heat in Texas. Becoming popular across the south. I am trying to build the market for them in west Texas. Definitely check with locals for what is in high demand in your area.

Do research and make list of docile breeds. Here is one:

Harlequin Rabbit
Rex Rabbit
Jersey Wooly Rabbit
Dutch Rabbit
Mini Lop Rabbit
Chinchilla Rabbit
Polish Rabbit
Lionhead Rabbit
Californian Rabbit
Himalayan Rabbit








						Best & Most Popular Pet Rabbit Breeds — Rabbit Care Tips
					

A comprehensive list of pet domesticated rabbit breeds, their history, personality and for what kind of owner they are best suited to.




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Then check around to see which out of those breeds are most popular in your area. Rabbit breeders are generally friendly and helpful so you might try talking to other rabbit breeders where you live. You might want to go with the second popular breed if the first already has lots of breeders. Another factor to consider is obtaining your breeding stock - will it be available locally?


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## LilTxFarmer (Jun 9, 2021)

HornyToadAcres said:


> It would help but not here. High demand depends almost entirely on your local area. I suggest you join some local rabbit groups - plenty on FB if you are on there but you can probably find others.
> 
> I started with Tamuks in December. They are not for showing, mostly for meat, can be pets and bred specifically to stand the heat in Texas. Becoming popular across the south. I am trying to build the market for them in west Texas. Definitely check with locals for what is in high demand in your area.
> 
> ...


Hmm, never heard of Tamuks rabbits, HornyToad. I'll have to look that up. I live 35 miles NW of San Antonio, Tx. and I raise California Whites for meat. They do well, here.


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## HornyToadAcres (Jun 10, 2021)

LilTxFarmer said:


> Hmm, never heard of Tamuks rabbits, HornyToad. I'll have to look that up. I live 35 miles NW of San Antonio, Tx. and I raise California Whites for meat. They do well, here.


Tamuk are easy to find in your area. Stands for Texas A&M Kingsville. Let me go grab info from my notes.



This is what Dr. Lukefahr had to say on the Texas A&M website about both:Texas A&M University-Kingsville develops and maintains breeds of meat rabbit that are suitable for backyard or commercial meat production. We do not have fancy- or show-rabbit stock. If you are in the need of fancy bred rabbits for your local rabbit show, please contact area show rabbit breeders or your county Extension agent. The Breeding Objective for our breeds (NZW and Composite) is to conserve genetic integrity or quality by managing a low ratio of does to bucks (<3:1), conducting random matings (except for close relatives), and practicing no further selection to maintain genetic variation for high performance.New Zealand White - The "Tamuk" line of the New Zealand White (NZW) breed, specifically developed for the commercial meat rabbit industry, was developed in the mid-1980's involving the crossing of commercial lines from Arkansas, Florida and Louisiana. This composite maternal line is especially well adapted under hot and humid conditions. Too, there is little to no fancy or show NZW breeding in this line. Does exemplify desirable maternal characteristics, such as early maturity, large litters, well developed nests, good milking ability, and strong maternal instincts, for which commercial selection has been applied. The recommended breeding management regime involves first mating at 4-1/2 months of age and a 14-day breed-back system that allows for 8 litters per doe per year. When purchasing NZW stock, always ask to see production and pedigree records.Avoid show stock when breeding meat rabbits for home or commercial use. Do not be impressed by show ribbons and trophies. Moreover, our lines and breeds have a good reputation for heat resistance and steady litters and(or) meat production. Show-bred rabbits typically are not selected for production traits and have short coupled bodies, thick fur coats, short ears, excessive flesh, etc. These and other imperfections make such rabbits both less productive and less capable of being heat resistant, which affects production for the serious meat rabbit producer. (Emphasis - Carla Carter)Our NZW line has been very productive for both families with small backyard operations and large commercial operations in many states.Composites - A new breed - About 30 years ago, Dr. Lukefahr began crossing different breeds for backyard meat production to feed his own family. Another objective was steady production, which is enhanced by hybrid vigor due to crossbreeding. Yet another aim was choosing breeds that harbor major genes for coat color. As a result of crossing seven breeds over the years (in chronological order: New Zealand Red, Siamese Satin, Californian, New Zealand White, Dutch, Champagne d’Argent, Harlequin, and Havana), this composite breed now possesses all of the major genes for coat color. In the photo to the left, nine rabbits from the same litter are each of a different color! Examples of colors in this population include agouti and black, blue, chocolate, and lilac, creme and opal, seal and siamese, chinchilla, himalayan and albino, and steel, harlequin (japanese and magpie), and red. In the photo to the right, a seemingly rare magpie-californian rabbit is shown. As a family activity, this color feature will hopefully pique the curiosity and active interest of children. Also, the skins can be tanned using the natural colors (without dyeing) and made into products that can be sold, for example, at farmers markets. Lastly, this population was recently crossed with our commercial Tamuk NZW line to infuse genes for production for vital traits such as fertility, litter size, milk production, and growth, while adding some additional hybrid vigor as a boost to performance. It should also be pointed out that these rabbits are heat tolerant with adaptive characteristics that include long ears and thin fur coats. Several breeders now in different states are reporting good production success with this new breed. However, an important point is that this breed better suited for small-scale backyard production. It is not a commercial breed. Also, some breeders place order for only white (albino) animals if they are selling fryers commercially where a premium is paid for white body fur. Try a breeding trio!


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## HornyToadAcres (Jun 10, 2021)

I have composites and I have to constantly remind myself that I am breeding for MEAT, not COLOR. lol. Easy to get distracted. 

My younger buck who is a magpie harlequin in color.


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## JirehFarmsTN (Aug 14, 2021)

NEWCOMER said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am back with more questions as normal and I want to know what's (in your opinion and based off your experience) the best breed of rabbits. Answer below ⤵️


A lot of this depends on what your goals are! 
for example, as a pet breeder, I adore my Holland Lops. A meat breeder will prefer something like a New Zealand or silver fox though; someone getting into showing may like a Holland, but because they are popular they may choose a somewhat less-popular breed like a French lop. They are still gentle, but not as much competition in the show world. 
Some pet owners prefer a small rabbit, like a Netherland dwarf, or a larger laid back rabbit like a Flemish Giant or French lop. 

I have owned the following breeds:
Holland Lops
Lionheads 
Netherland Dwarfs
New Zealand 
Rex
Silver fox
American Chinchilla 
French Lops 

My top 2 (the only 2 I raise currently)  are the Hollands and French. The French Lops are incredibly sweet, gentle, and laid back despite being 13+lbs, they require larger spaces and more food, but they are amazing. 
The hollands are much smaller, require less space/food, and are very sweet and outgoing! They can be more active and playful than the French Lops too. All of my rabbits are able to be handled whenever and however I want, which is a huge bonus!

in my personal experience with Lionheads and Netherlands, neither had very nice temperaments and were always my most aggressive rabbits. This isn’t always the case, but I don’t like to recommend them to people looking for something snuggly, especially if they have kids.

My meat rabbits (Rex, NZ, SF, AC) were typically very laid back. Not always super cuddly, because they are larger, but I rarely had aggression issues with them 😊


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