# new zealand / dutch what do you think?



## justin

I have been looking for either a new zealand, californian, or silver fox buck to breed with my californian / new Zealand cross doe's. My grandpa has always raised meat rabbits and told me to breed them with our pet dutch. Personally I think this sounds like a bad idea and that it will be better to wait until I find a buck that is a meat breed.  What do you think?


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## oneacrefarm

justin said:
			
		

> I have been looking for either a new zealand, californian, or silver fox buck to breed with my californian / new Zealand cross doe's. My grandpa has always raised meat rabbits and told me to breed them with our pet dutch. Personally I think this sounds like a bad idea and that it will be better to wait until I find a buck that is a meat breed.  What do you think?


I say bred her to your dutch until you find a suitable larger meat breed. Dutch, while smaller, have a surprisingly good shape for meat. I mean, they may be smaller than the avg. meat bread, but in the mean time you will have your own healthy meat to eat.

Shannon
www.oneacrefarmrabbits.com


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## dewey

I, too, think grandpa's right.  Especially if the does are nearing 9-12 months and I couldn't find a different buck, I'd use the dutch just to get them bred, and hopefully have cornish rabbit in the freezer  while you locate what you want.  Too bad you're not in AZ as I have several nice proven bucks, some nzw/calis, too.

Can you use another barn's buck for a fee maybe,?  Or get a young breeding age buck of a different large breed to use for a few months?  That buck could be butchered when your other buck was ready to breed.  

Much of the time good meat stock has to be purchased young and raised up...since anything older than 12 weeks or so that's not sold by then goes into the freezer.

Hope you find what you're looking for.


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## Dreaming Of Goats

My friend breeds all of her meat rabbits to her pet dutch... The babies are just as big as the NZ..... but prettier since they are different colors  Gorgeous pelts too, btw


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## justin

Thanks for the input everyone, I guess I'm breeding them with my dutch soon. I never should have questioned grAndpa; he did teach me everything I know about meat rabbits. (not saying that's a lot)


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## norcal

Didn't the guy who wrote "Raising rabbits the modern way" breed Dutch for meat?   I think he said pound per pound they were more efficient.   ?  Maybe I'm remembering wrong..........


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## currycomb

dutch cross do make nice meat rabbits. not that much difference in size really


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## SJVjim

I've raised meat rabbits for about 3 years now and just discovered this site.  I'd like to introduce myself a bit by replying to your post, if you don't mind.

My rabbit 'herd' is Dutch/Californian.  LOTS of good producing stock there.  Go for it.

Here in the Central San Joaquin Valley, CA, it can get very hot so our biggest challenge has been preventing overheating them.

Best of success.....jim


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## justin

Some frozen water bottles seem to do fine around here, I would like to get a fan put up though.


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## justin

Well I got my does bred I also just purchased a purebred californian that's already bred and 3 young california/silver fox mixes.


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## justin

justin said:
			
		

> Well I got my does bred I also just purchased a purebred californian that's already bred and 3 young california/silver fox mixes.


Hopefully I will get a couple nice bucks from the California/ new zealand doe that I bred to the dutch and I can breed them to the young californian/silver fox does I just bought. I will have a while to wait but they would make a nice match I think.


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## justin

Or maybe just breed my new californian / silver foxes to the dutch. I'm not sure.


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## oneacrefarm

If it is just for meat, I don't think it matters. If you want to get technical about it, then start a spreadsheet or notebook and systematically breed each buck to each doe and keep accurate records of size of litter, weight of litters at birth, # weaned and weight at weaning, weight at butcher.  Then you can see which crosses result in the most meat for your table.

Oneacrefarm


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## mooregenetics

How did your dutch / new zealand crosses turn out? I am about to wean my first two litters out of Californian does and a Dutch  buck and have been really impressed so far. I have one runt but the rest are big and thick. One bunch has a lot of white(Dutch pattern) whereas the other is mainly solid black with a white nose or paw here and there. I will be keeping some of the does for breeders. One has gray tipped hair. Too bad it is a buck because we really wanted to keep it.


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## Rabbit-boy

Breed you dutch......


ARBA Judge 2yrs....
Raiser of 80rabbits,10goats,10 ducks and 25chickens ......


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## Rabbit-boy




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## ohiogoatgirl

oneacrefarm said:
			
		

> If it is just for meat, I don't think it matters. If you want to get technical about it, then start a spreadsheet or notebook and systematically breed each buck to each doe and keep accurate records of size of litter, weight of litters at birth, # weaned and weight at weaning, weight at butcher.  Then you can see which crosses result in the most meat for your table.
> 
> Oneacrefarm


wish i was this organized! hahaha

i know this is a bit of an older thread. but i'm curious how the litters went. 
i have some dutch, cali, thrianta, and nz does i'll be crossing about to cali and NZ bucks. maybe some others.


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