# American Blue and White, info please



## doo dah (Jun 7, 2010)

Hey everyone!  So I've been researching rabbits for meat on and off for a while now.  During my research I came across the American Blue and White.  I want to know if anyone has ever had some?  Did you breed them for meat?  How well did they produce?  They were bred for both fur and meat, does this mean they need to be brushed or else the fur will tangle?  How well did they do in the heat?  I'm sure I'll come up with more questions, but any answer would be great!


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## bellasrabbitry (Aug 20, 2010)

I just wanted to let you know that Americans are a very rare breed of rabbit, there are only a few hundred in the us, so you may have a hard time finding some.


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## doo dah (Aug 21, 2010)

I'm aware of that, thank you


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## kbhear80 (Aug 23, 2010)

here is the offical club page link
http://www.americanrabbits.org/

i would contact some of the listed members for more information. good luck!


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## kbhear80 (Aug 24, 2010)

SOmeone forwarded a breeder list to me for members of this site and there is a american breeder in indiana that maybe you could PM for information.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmXAmgx4qOPEdHo1QTNxNTJRM28tNGlueWEyREhGdEE&hl=en#gid=0


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## doo dah (Aug 25, 2010)

Thank  you


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## ChickenPotPie (Oct 3, 2010)

Yes, they were bred for fur and meat and still are, though, I think fewer people bother with their pelts simply because they don't know how to tan them.  They are a decent meat rabbit but their type (mandolin) needs working on.  No, their fur does not get tangled like a wooled rabbit might.  They're 'normal' furred so simple occasional brushing and a balanced diet should keep their coat looking good.  I've seen a few Americans at shows.  

My friend, Chris Hemp, has them.  I'm transporting for her to the ARBA Convention and Show in Minneapolis, MN in a month.  I know she has some for sale.  

Where are you located?  I'm coming from CA and am driving.  If you're anywhere that you could drive 8 hours or 12 hours to get some it would be a good opportunity to pick these up or go shopping in MN.  Often, shopping is begun about 2 months before Convention but you never know, you might find some at the show.  I've never shopped for this breed at Convention before so I don't know how fast they go.  I suppose that depends on the quality of what if for sale, right?

You should join the American rabbits yahoo group.  That would keep you in touch with breeders across the country and you might faster find out who's got what for sale.

Good luck.  Contact me via message if you'd like to get in touch with Chris.


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## doo dah (Oct 4, 2010)

Hey, I apreciate the new info!  I'm afraid I'm not ready for rabbits right now or anytime soon :/.  I have joined the Yahoo group but it's so confusing that I find myself never wanting to go on it.  Crazy questiong but...What is the difference between the "mandolin" and the typical meat rabbit type?  Can one type survive heat better than the other?


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## BDial (Oct 5, 2010)

Yes the American yahoo group is "different" to put it nicely. I rarely go on. 
Ditto what ChickenPotPie said about the Mandolin needing worked on. We are also still working on getting the blue color a little darker and bringing the white numbers up. IMO we also need to work on gettting a little more meat on them. I have butchered out 5 of mine so far and they (again IMO) needed just a little more meat. Not bad though because one rabbit still fed four of us. They just didn't seem to have as much as the Californian I had done for someone else.

With all that said I am hooked on the Americans. I love the temperment and looks of the breed. My does will take any babies I put in with them and let me mess around with the nest box without rejecting the kits. I can (wouldn't try this with just any rabbit) put the does together without anyone fighting and I have even kept two bucks in the same cage for a period of time. 

When you are ready to puchase some let me know. We are starting a cooperative in Indiana between the breeders and we can also recomend other breeders from other states. I currently have a litter of 6 that are 6 weeks old, and 3 kits in the box that are 1 week old. I also have two does that are pregnant. I prob. won't do anymore breeding till after show season is over now. We shall see how I do in Napanee next weekend. Hopefully my buck takes first instead of second like last weekend.

ETA: We had some 90+ days here this summer and mine did better than I expected with the heat. I put used frozen waterbottles to help keep them cool. 

This first link is of what a NZ body type looks like
http://www.nantahala-farm.com/rabbits-s.shtml

This is the American Mandolin type
http://www.raising-rabbits.com/american-rabbit.html


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## doo dah (Oct 7, 2010)

Very good info BDial, thank you!  Unfortunatly the pictures are worthless to me as I'm no good at rabbit conformation.  All I see is a couple of rabbits laying down .  Would you mind trying to explain to me in newby terms what the basic differences are?


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## RabbitMage (Oct 7, 2010)

One of the most notable differences between commercial type and mandolin type is the length of the shoulder. A commercial type animal will have a very short shoulder which rises very quickly and smoothly into a big, well arched loin and then down into a full hindquater. A breed with mandolin type has a longer, flat, very obvious shoulder that gives way to the loin and hindquarter.

Compare the type of the rabbit to the instrument it's named after:






Mandolin type





Mandolin


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## BDial (Oct 7, 2010)

Thanks RabbitMage. I am not always very good at explanations.


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## doo dah (Oct 8, 2010)

Thank you very much


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## chickenwhisperer (Oct 22, 2010)

So I got this rabbit as a rescue off CL about a month or so ago . . .
I been trying to figure out what she is . . .

She is a BIG mature doe, prolly 12+lbs and look at that dewlap.

Ive read about the American Breed, and how rare it seems to be, but look at the "mandolin" shape this rabbit has . . .
I dont know what else she could be, she really doesnt look like a NZ, tho I think she is definately a "meat" breed.

Did I luck out and get an American Og???














Not that I want anymore rabbits(I rescue unwanteds off CL), but this ole girl has NO interest in breeding, which I found out by a flemish male getting out of his cage while this doe was out on the ground.
I basically use her to give my various males exercise, as they all chase her around but she will never stop to let them breed, tested by hours of supervision with each male.


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## doo dah (Oct 24, 2010)

You will probably get more and better answers if you start your own thread on it.  I'm no help in the matter of conformation or breed but I wish you much luck in finding your answer!


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## dbunni (Oct 24, 2010)

Unfortunately I have seen many a bad NZ looking just like what you have pictured ... at the show yesterday there was a black!  UGH!

More than likely, you have a NZ white... meat/pet breeding.  Most good breeders will cull that pretty early ... NUM NUM ... bad bodies do not create bad meat!


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