Contents
The wild European rabbit is one of the last domesticated animal species. The rabbit became a pet about 1500 years ago. Thanks to the ability of the rabbit to reproduce early and the rapid change of generations, man was able to select animals for new traits, sometimes appearing in the course of inevitable mutations.
In nature, animals with traits that interfere with survival are weeded out by natural selection. A person can retain such a trait in a population of domestic animals if the trait is useful in human economic activity. And sometimes it’s just a whim.
As a result of artificial selection, the single nondescript species of the wild European rabbit has given rise to all breeds of domestic rabbits that exist in the world today.
You can compare the wild rabbit on the right with the domestic one.
Even a medium-sized domestic rabbit is 2 to 3 times the size of a wild one. The exception is miniature rabbits, which may be smaller than their wild ancestor. But miniature rabbits have no economic value. These are pets.
If you need not a pet, but a rabbit for meat, skins or fluff, then you need to decide on the breed.
Since the concept of “the best breeds of rabbits” is very relative, we will be determined by the parameters. If we need rabbits to get high-quality wool, then the angora rabbit will definitely be the best. If we need a large skin, then we need to choose one of the giant breeds. To quickly obtain meat, you need to choose among modern broiler breeds.
I would like to combine everything if possible and at the same time have a minimum of hassle in setting up a rabbitry – you need to look at domestic breeds bred taking into account the climate.
Therefore, for starters, it would be better to consider the breeds of rabbits bred in the USSR.
Rabbit breeds bred in the Soviet Union
Considering a certain confusion on the Internet with images of rabbit breeds, a black-brown rabbit especially suffers from this, it is better to describe these breeds of rabbits with photographs, since, apparently, few people already know what a black-brown fox is, in “honor” which the black-brown rabbit breed was named, and they constantly cite as an example a photo of an English fiery-black rabbit.
By the way, the fiery black has a very spectacular color and this breed should also be considered from the point of view of breeding in a private compound. But later.
Rabbits in the USSR were bred taking into account climatic conditions. Soviet breeds include:
- white and gray giants, descended from European giant breeds with an influx of the blood of local hardy, but outbred animals;
- Soviet chinchilla, which was also forced to be improved by local rabbits, since the European chinchilla was not adapted to the climate;
- Soviet marder, a product of crossing already bred Soviet breeds with crossbred rabbits that have a blue color;
- a silver rabbit, derived from French Champagne with an influx of local blood;
- mountain-tay or Himalayan, the origin of which is actually vague;
- black-brown, undeservedly forgotten, although it is one of the best breeds bred in the USSR.
All Soviet breeds have a meat-skin direction, being universal.
Gray giant
This breed originates from the most famous giant rabbit in Europe – the Flemish rabbit. After the flanders were brought to Our Country, it turned out that he could not stand frosts. To eliminate this problem, the flandra was crossed with local rabbits, well adapted to the climate.
The breed was officially registered in 1952. With some color variation in the colors of the gray giant, they all carry the wild agouti gene, most likely inherited from outbred animals. The color of the gray giant most of all resembles a hare with a gray or reddish tint.
A distinctive feature of the giant are also the ears when viewed from the front. They should be straight and form a Latin V.
The length of the gray giants is 65 cm. Weight up to 7,5 kg. But usually the average weight of rabbits is 5 kg, rabbits 6 kg.
The advantages of the breed include the rapid growth of young animals. By 4 months, young rabbits already weigh 2,5 – 3 kg. Gray giants are more resistant to disease than their whimsical ancestors, the flanders.
Of the minuses, the low quality of the skin is noted. The fur of the gray giant is not thick. But the skin is impressive in size – a third of a square meter.
White giant
The pure white pelt is highly prized in the fur industry as it can be dyed any desired color. At the same time, it is desirable that the skin itself be larger, since it is easier to work with a large skin when sewing fur products.
Based on the requirements of the furriers, albinos began to be selected among the Flemish rabbits. When importing white flanders to Our Country in 1927, the breeders faced the problem of the thermophilic flanders.
Although the white Flemish rabbit appeared earlier than the gray one, work on the White Giant breed began much later. And the “late” gray giant and the rabbit of the French chinchilla breed were able to participate in its formation. If the gray giant as a breed was registered in the middle of the XNUMXth century, then work on the white giant was carried out until the collapse of the USSR.
In order to improve endurance, the size of the white giant was “sacrificed”. It is smaller than gray, though not by much. The weight of the white giant ranges from 4,3 to 6,1. Average weight – 5 kg. Body length 60 cm with chest circumference 40 cm.
The white giant is prolific, the rabbit has 7-10 rabbits in the litter. Queens of this breed rarely eat or trample the young. Rabbits gain weight well, reaching 4 – 2,5 kg by 3,5 months.
The skins of the white giant are in demand in the industry, although they are inferior to the skin of the Soviet chinchilla. But the chinchilla is gray, which limits the use of its skins.
Among the shortcomings of the white giants, a weak pubescence of the paws is noted, because of which they can get pododermatitis when kept on a slatted floor.
Soviet chinchilla
The Soviet chinchilla was bred using a reproductive cross between French chinchillas and the White Giant breed. In addition to crossing, a strict selection of rabbits was carried out in terms of size, adaptability to climatic conditions and precocity.
The resulting Soviet chinchilla is the largest of all Soviet breeds. The body length of the Soviet chinchilla is 70 cm, the average chest girth is 40 cm. Weight is from 6 to 7 kg. At 4 months, Soviet chinchillas weigh 3,2 – 4,6 kg.
The color of rabbits of this breed, like all agoutis, is zoned gray.
The fur of the Soviet chinchilla is of high quality. There is only one breed to which the chinchilla is inferior in fur density. This is a black and brown rabbit.
The Soviet Chinchilla is a versatile and very high quality breed that produces excellent fur and tasty meat.
Soviet marder
They were bred by crossing Soviet chinchillas with ermines and further infusion of the blood of outbred blue-colored Armenian rabbits. The result is an animal with a completely unique fur, highly valued by the fur industry. The color of the rabbit resembles the color of the marten, which gave it its name. “Marder” – a marten.
Marder has a beautiful soft brown skin. The color range varies from dark to light brown. Due to the quality of the skin of the Soviet marder, there are very bright prospects for breeding these rabbits for the needs of the fur industry.
The rabbit itself is medium in size. Its weight reaches 5 kg. But it grows slowly, so it cannot be considered as meat. Meat in this case is a by-product.
Unfortunately, the Soviet marder is thermophilic and unsuitable for breeding in the northern regions of Our Country.
Silver rabbit
One of the situations when a new breed was bred without the influx of other blood, exclusively by selection. The parent breed of the rabbit is the Champagne French rabbit. It was bred in the Poltava region by selecting the largest individuals. In the process of breeding, the previously inconspicuous silveriness increased, and the resistance of the breed to climatic conditions improved.
A silver rabbit is grown not only for the sake of a beautiful skin. This breed is characterized by precocity and produces tasty meat.
Silver rabbits are born black, sometimes gray. Silveriness gradually begins to appear after a month of life, and in a certain order: nose, tail, belly; head, back, chest, ears. This change in color in a certain order indicates the purity of the animal. Finally, the animals bloom by 4 months.
At the same time, from two parents of the same shade, the offspring will turn out to be lighter. When breeding, you should try to pick up a pair so that one of the parents is darker than the other. The rabbit brings 8-9 rabbits.
Silvers resemble the Siberian squirrel not only in color, but also in temperament. These are funny and agile animals, quickly getting used to the staff.
Their average weight today is 4,5 kg. Maximum – 6,6 kg. At 4 months, the young weigh already 4 kg. Slaughter weight at 4 months is 60%, slightly short of the slaughter weight of broiler breeds.
Although the skins are valued for their pubescence, the density of the fur is inferior to the Soviet chinchilla and black-brown rabbit.
ermine
It is the ancestor of the broiler California rabbit, which is similar to the ermine in such a way that it is easy to confuse them. The ermine is also called the Himalayan.
Ermine originates precisely from the Himalayas. Later, the breed came to England, where it finally took shape as an ermine. The name of the breed was given by the similarity of the color with the color of the ermine.
Part of the population brought to Our Country became larger in the process of breeding and acquired a number of specific qualities, which gave reason to call the part of the population the ermine rabbit.
To increase body weight, the ermine was infused with the blood of a white giant. As a result, body weight increased, and the quality of the fur deteriorated, while the ermine was famous for its good fur. Further selection work was aimed at returning the quality of the skin to the ermine.
At this time, the average weight of stoats is 3,8 kg. Body length 51 cm.
The rabbit brings 8 cubs, which are born completely white, acquiring a characteristic color only by 8 months.
From the ermine, they get delicious tender meat and excellent thick fur, which has practically no world analogues in quality.
black brown
An undeservedly forgotten and already rare breed. But in vain. The black-brown rabbit is almost ideal for conditions. It was decided to breed this breed in the forties of the XX century, when black-brown fox fur was in fashion. At the same time, work began on a breed of rabbits, whose color could completely copy the black-brown fox.
An inexperienced person will surely confuse a black-brown rabbit with a silver one. Apparently, therefore, the description of black-brown usually does not match the attached photo. And with the correct description of the color of the black-brown rabbit in the photo, you can see an animal with a black back and a red belly. These are two different rabbits. Black with red – a native of England and is called black-fire, its description is below.
But the silver breed does not have that veil that distinguishes the skin of the black-brown fox and the appearance of which was achieved in the black-brown rabbit. Although black-brown was bred using the same Champagne breed and English silver.
In 1948, the black-brown was recognized as a breed with the following characteristics:
- body length average 60 cm;
- bust average 30 cm;
- average weight 5 kg. Young animals at 8 months 3,5 – 4 kg;
The main color of purebred rabbits is black-brown.
For Our Country, the black-brown breed is good because it is very unpretentious. Although the Californian broiler overtakes the black-brown in growth and lethal meat yield, it is much more whimsical and is not able to endure frosts.
There are two types in the breed. One carries the silver gene. The second should be pure black, but when viewed from different angles, the fur should become either light or brown – play. This quality is highly valued by furriers.
Unfortunately, after the collapse of the Union, the breed was almost lost. But it would be possible to sew “fox” short fur coats.
Black Fire Bunny
Skin breed bred in England. There is little meat from him, this is a by-product. Yes, and the live weight of the animal is 1,8 – 2,7 kg. But the original skin is used for sewing accessories and clothes. The American Rabbit Breeders Association standard provides for 4 color options for this breed. What are the colors of the black-fire rabbit can be seen below.
The black.
Chocolate.
Purple.
Blue
In rabbits, the difference in color is very clearly visible when they are nearby.
Redhead is present in all color variants.
Due to the original coloring and docile disposition of this rabbit, today it is more often bred as pets, and not a hide breed.
Meat breeds
Broiler breeds of rabbits in Our Country today are mainly represented by the Californian and three varieties of the New Zealand breed.
These are medium-sized rabbits, they are distinguished by rapid weight gain, precocity and good skins.
Variations of the New Zealand breed of rabbits, photo
Butterfly
The modern breed was formed in Germany, although there is also a dwarf variety of the butterfly.
The breed is also called Strokach and German Pied Giant. Strokach is a continuous dark stripe that runs along the entire backbone of a butterfly.
Butterfly spots come in three colors: black, blue, and chocolate or havana.
The black.
Blue.
Havana.
Butterfly is a large animal. Body length 66 cm, adult weight from 6 kg. Young animals at 3,5 months – 2,7 kg. They grow a little slower than broiler rabbits.
The slaughter yield of meat is quite low, lower than that of silver – 55%. The butterfly also has good fur.
Downy breeds
In addition to meat and skins, wool for yarn can be obtained from some breeds. During the molting period, these animals are literally stripped bald, collecting falling hair.
White downy
In white downy, the amount of down in wool is 84 – 92%, awns 8 – 16%. From an adult animal, you can collect 350 – 450 g of fluff. And if you try and feed him with high quality, then all 600 g.
The weight of adults of white downy is small, about 4 kg.
White downy does not tolerate heat very well. At temperatures above 28 ° can die from heat stroke. For downy rabbits, special cages have been developed that are suitable for keeping animals at any time of the year.
It is better to comb out rabbits with a slicker so as not to frighten them with the plucking procedure.
angora downy
The breed is originally from Turkey and is the parent of the White Downy. Angoras are bred in order to obtain fluff from them. Other products, such as meat, can also be obtained from them, the weight of representatives of the breed is 4 kg. But this is not profitable. Meat costs the same or less than broiler meat, and you can’t get more fluff from a slaughtered animal.
Wool is removed from the Angora every 3 months, getting up to 200 g of wool from one haircut or plucking.
When breeding for a tribe, animals are left with maximum overgrowth. From the rest of the young animals, the fluff is removed twice and slaughtered for meat.
There are 6 varieties of Angora downy breed:
- English
- French;
- German;
- gigantic;
- satin;
- white (and colored).
Unfortunately, with the development of the production of artificial materials, the importance of rabbit down for industry began to decline. It may very well be that soon downy rabbits can only be seen in the zoo.
Conclusion
What breed of rabbits to choose for breeding in the subsidiary farm will need to be decided by the rabbit breeder. But if you don’t want unnecessary trouble with setting up a warm rabbitry and finding the necessary feed, it’s better to take a domestic breed that was bred at one time to meet the needs of the national economy of the USSR, where, frankly, they didn’t spoil animals with high-quality feed.