# Meat and Skins??



## LittleDarlings (Aug 4, 2011)

I did read a post where someone uses the pelts for mittens, but is there a better breed for pelts vs. meat?  I guess I am looking for good dual-purpose rabbits.  I am a very waste conscious person and would hate for parts to go unused.  If there is a GREAT meat rabbit and a GREAT pelt rabbit, is it possible to cross them and do it that way?   I am planning on buying some property and want to have all my information ready for when we have our own place.  I have some goats and chickens will be next, but I am seriously considering rabbits for a variety in the meat freezer. 

Edited for typos


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## Bossroo (Aug 4, 2011)

As for  animals used for food...Meat tenderness quality depends on the animal's age. Best prior to reaching maturity in the Spring/Summer/ early Fall.  As with all fur bearing animals, fur quality is best in the Winter, worst when shedding baby fur into adult one and in Summer to grow a Winter coat( pelt can be processed into leather, hair into felt). Enjoy the ride !


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## Lorelai (Aug 4, 2011)

Well, we breed New Zealand and Californian, purbreds and crosses, and we like the furs as they are. But I will say that DB is getting really excited about tanning the hides and making things, so I think he's going to use what we already have as "practice pelts," and later, I think we might get a breeding pair of Rex rabbits. I've heard they're a great dual purpose breed for meat and pelts, plus, we can cross them with the stock we already have.


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## LittleDarlings (Aug 4, 2011)

So Bossroo, if I get the timing right for processing they can BE dual purpose?


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## hoodat (Aug 4, 2011)

The skins of young animals (about the size we normally butcher) are paper thin and don't make good pelts. The best tanned leather rabbit pelts come from animals a year old or more.


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## Ariel72 (Aug 5, 2011)

Rabbits that age would be considered stewers and I've heard they work pretty well in the crock pot.  Maybe you could even use them for breeding til then.  I just love rex fur.  Its so luxuriant.


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## LittleDarlings (Aug 5, 2011)

Ok, now I got it!  Thanks!


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## Bossroo (Aug 5, 2011)

Since  we are/ have been  in competition with China for the rabbit fur industry $$$ ... for the most bang for my buck  ...   I would only process my young rabbits for the family table and if you are so inclined, make the thin pelts into mittens and other trinket goods for family and gifts to friends. The cost of feed and housing (not to mention one's labor, etc. ) raising  rabbits to a year + for their pelts is just too expensive to justify it in today's economy.  Add the cost of tanning and it  now becomes a very expensive HOBBY. I love to eat rabbit meat, however I haven't saved any pelts in over 20 years. I bury them and the innards  to fertilize trees, berry bushes, and the innards are  great feed for chickens and pigs.


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## baykay1214 (Aug 6, 2011)

i am looking for meat rabits too. i want to know what are the best meat reabits?


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## Ms. Research (Aug 6, 2011)

baykay1214 said:
			
		

> i am looking for meat rabits too. i want to know what are the best meat reabits?


My Rabbit Vet raised New Zealands and was very successful.  I would suggest you go and read some of the threads Rabbit "Meat" Section.  Many different views regarding what breed is best.  

But one thing I can suggest for someone who is starting out,   What environment will you be raising them in?  (Heat, Cold, Humidity)  How big will your operation be?  (Bigger vs smaller meat rabbits)  Also before starting, get your ducks in a row of how you will run your operation and who you will be selling with.  IMHO, I think that has a lot to do with being a success in the "meat" business.   Or any business.  Don't rush into it.  Slow and steady does win the race.  Also keeps the frustration level of having more bunnies than you can handle.  

Good Luck in your venture.


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## baykay1214 (Aug 6, 2011)

1 ND buck, 1 Pygmy doe, 1 mini-pot-bellied pig, 2 ferrets, 1 cat & soon to have feathery friends and more!!
 i am part of this family i am daughter of little darling and helping raise all the animals. its fun i go out with mom and feed the goats and the pig and the ferrets and the cat. i sit in the goat pen with the goats is so much fun sitting with them and trying to get the pig to like us.  (he is so scared of all of us ) poor pig


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## Ms. Research (Aug 6, 2011)

baykay1214 said:
			
		

> 1 ND buck, 1 Pygmy doe, 1 mini-pot-bellied pig, 2 ferrets, 1 cat & soon to have feathery friends and more!!
> i am part of this family i am daughter of little darling and helping raise all the animals. its fun i go out with mom and feed the goats and the pig and the ferrets and the cat. i sit in the goat pen with the goats is so much fun sitting with them and trying to get the pig to like us.  (he is so scared of all of us ) poor pig


Lots of life lessons raising animals.  Good for you being part of it!  Amazing what you can learn from unconditional love!


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## hoodat (Aug 14, 2011)

baykay1214 said:
			
		

> i am looking for meat rabits too. i want to know what are the best meat reabits?


I just started a thread, "In praise of meat mutts". You might want to look at that. Meat mutts have many advantages, one being that they are cheaper to buy the initial breeding stock. Be very careful of the start up stock though. Try to take someone along who knows rabbits so you don't end up with "snakes" (rabbits that are all bones with no thick meat on them). I started my line with a new Zealand cross doe and a rex cross buck. The doe has pretty typical NZ features and the buck is very short coupled with heavy saddle and loin meat as well as good hindqurters. From that I've developed my own line that suits my personal tastes in rabbit meat. I like to debone and my rabbits are easy to do that with (Well, as easy as deboning ever gets. I'm improving on the technique as I go).
This is the stock I started with. Both are around three months old in these pics. The top view of the buck shows what I mean about the heavy saddle. Talk about a meat brick!


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## Ms. Research (Aug 14, 2011)

hoodat said:
			
		

> baykay1214 said:
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Thanks for the explanation hoodat.   Also read your other thread "praise of meat mutts".    Though I'm more inclined to go for the standard of perfection in showing, I am looking at focusing on the hindquarters as standard I would like to perfect in Holland Lops.   Nice stocky small bunny.  Looking at your meat bunnies shows me what  a good hindquarter looks like.    Also looking into disease resistance and hardiness is also a HUGH key point regarding "standard of perfection."


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