# Best selling rabbits???



## crookedoak (Feb 16, 2011)

What are the best selling rabbits? Meat, show, pet, etc.?


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I think a lot of it is going to depend on where you live. Pets are going to sell quite well, I think, if you are within easy driving distance of one or more fair sized cities/towns ... or can make arrangements with a pet store. The small lop-eared breeds are the most popular with pet buyers, the larger rabbits are not as marketable.

I don't know a lot about commercial meat production, but I don't have a lot of inquiries for meat rabbits, although I do trade some to the local farmers who like rabbit but don't raise them for garden vegetables or their beef or pork.

I don't show, but did buy pedigreed rabbits to start and have had some sales to show people starting out, but since I don't show and am not really able to select for show most of my sales are to beginners or to 'home production' breeders who want that particular breed. If you want to sell to show people consistently, you do have to show ... and you have to do well at the shows. If you are planning to show, the actual show entries aren't going to be the biggest expense, it is going to be how far you have to travel to get to shows.

Don't know if this helps or not ... you're going to have to figure out what will be marketable in your particular area.


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## Millroad (Oct 15, 2010)

My impression around this area (Colorado) is that the most popular rabbits for pets are lionheads, mini lops and rexes, and Netherland dwarfs (the little guys, as the PP suggested). 

For meat, the best breed will be determined by your market. If you hope to sell to processors, I have heard that they prefer the white breeds. If you plan to sell your own rabbit meat, it would take some trial and error to figure out what works best. As an example, a large-ish operation around here breeds Palominos and Creme d'Argents, and they have told me that the cross between the two produces the best meat rabbits. They process the meat themselves and sell it through a local raw milk dairy. They told me that the demand is so high that the rabbits are sold before they are born.


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## Jackie (Jun 20, 2008)

For pets in my area its very clearly mini lops. They always outsell my mini rexes and I can barely sell a black mini rex. Don't know why. Yet people will fall all over each other trying to buy a black mini lop. Weird. I am thinking its maybe because a lot of people dont know what a mini rex is and its hard to show in pictures or describe their fur. I am hooked on mini rexes though! I love them so much. But when people see a pic of a cute floppy eared rabbit...well....thats the one they HAVE to have.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

crookedoak said:


> What are the best selling rabbits? Meat, show, pet, etc.?


New Zeland whites seem to sell the best around here. People prefer them for meat, and not a lot of pet buyers here. Of course, I think that all rabbits taste the same, but for some reason the whites just seem to sell better.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Your market area will give you the best clue as to "the best selling" for each category. so much depends on where you are, and how you market.

Around here the dwarf breeds with good color sell well as pets. (or so I'm told) If one went by what is at the fair, you'd have to go with Lops (merciful heavens there were a lot of lops last year)

Meat rabbits...if you're selling to a commercial processor they still seem to want the NZ whites more than anything else. 

Show...well, whatever people are showing. :shrug: There's a market for every breed, you just have to get on the breed lists to see that. 4H here seems to go with Lops, minirex. But that will probably change this year since there were so MANY last year. People looking for a little something different.


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## jkmlad (Jun 18, 2009)

Point of Information: The reason commercial processors want white rabbits for their meat sales is that dark hairs are much easier to see on a carcass. ie; you can sell a carcass with a few white hairs, b/c they are almost impossible to spot. Dark hairs are much more visible, and if you've ever had to clean a carcass w/ dark hairs on it, you know how hard it is to pick off those strays... sort of like trying to herd feral cats! Now I will get on my high horse again. However you wish to market your rabbits, it is your ethical and moral duty to insure what happens to them. This is pretty easy with commerical meat rabbits, you take them in, they are butchered, and you know exactly where they are. This is much tougher in the pet market. I have "saved" many a pet rabbit who came from an un-ethical backyard breeder, or pet store/ farmers market/ flea market. Check on Craigslist or shelters... they are littered with unwanted/ neglected rabbits. If you choose the pet route, you are responsible for what happens to your rabbits. Not just until you get them to the sale, but for their lifetime. Does this seem harsh and excessive? Not nearly as harsh as sitting neglected in a small cage at the back of the yard, w/o sufficient food, water, or attention b/c you were someones impulse buy. Selling show rabbits is not a for profit operation. Believe me, most times you don't even get out of the rabbit what you have invested in its care and lineage.


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## crookedoak (Feb 16, 2011)

I having been leaning more towards the meat rabbits. What are the good meat rabbits? What about fiber rabbits?


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## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

New Zealand Whites are the top meat rabbit to raise, and closely followed by the Californian breed. This is based on the economics of raising plus what the processor needs for his/her business. You would be wise to go with meat rabbits because it is a "repeat business," whereas the pet rabbit market can become overly saturated and with extremely few repeat sales. With meat rabbits, you will also have other markets, such as breeding stock, feeder rabbits for reptiles, snakes, large cats, zoos, etc., as well as the "raw feeding" craze for dogs and cats, even laboratories wanting conventionally-raised rabbits, and, of course, the manure. Even the urine can be bottled and sold to hunters as camoflauge scent. If you don't want or need the rabbit livers, package them up as Catfish bait and sell them to the bait stores! They work better than chicken livers! 

I'll let someone else guide you on fiber rabbits. Not a recognized "breed" in the U.S., but it's my understanding that the German Angora is the best raised for wool. There are some around... you just gotta get in touch with Angora people.

Pat Lamar


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## SoINgirl (Aug 3, 2007)

New Zealand Whites and Californians or a cross of the two are what most people raise for meat, and will probably be the most accessible. They have a good meat to bone ratio and grow quickly. They will be white which is what most processors want. But if you are not selling to processors and just want some for yourself and like a little color New Zealands do come in red, black, white, and broken. You can eat any rabbit, so I would suggest you look at the ARBA website and look at the different breeds and pick one that you like. Also look around your area and see what is available and visit some breeders and see the rabbits and ask questions to see if that breed is for you. I don't know anything about the fiber rabbits but I think due to the wool they need a little special care to keep the wool nice.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Angoras...I would never suggest angoras for a new rabbit breeder. They're more difficult to raise because of the amount of grooming they need. While many are able to get good money for the good kits, it's not easy. 

There is little to NO bulk buying of US fiber. Most breeders market the wool to local spinners or online. running $5.00-$7.00 an ounce. (some have found a niche market that gets them up to $11.00 an ounce). German (or giant) angoras give the most fiber per year, English probably the least...but it's a higher quality fiber (finer). Satin Angoras are highly prized for the shine that the fiber has, and the crimp. 

You won't get rich raising angoras.


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## bowbuild (Aug 2, 2008)

I always believed the processors wanted white rabbits because it was like a blank canvas, and therefore was easy to dye any color they want.:hrm:

Bowbuild


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

bowbuild I suspect it depends on the processor. If they have someone to buy the pelts then they might prefer the white. Around here, I believe they just trash/compost the hides.


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## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

There are several reasons for wanting white rabbits:

1. White hairs don't show up on the carcass (dark hairs do and are stickier and harder to remove).

2. White pelts tend to be easier to "pull." Colored pelts tend to be thicker. Makes a big difference when processing hundreds of rabbits at a time (can you say "carpal tunnel?").

3. Some processors have biological accounts which require no pigmentation.

4. White pelts can be dyed any color. Amazing just how many different "shades" of a color there can be! There is still a small market for pelts, but mostly for prime pelts, not fryer pelts. Fryer pelts were mostly used for making felt.

Pat Lamar


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

A little off-topic, Pat, but can you tell me a bit about how the fryer pelts were used to make felt?


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## Pat Lamar (Jun 19, 2002)

Wracking my brain, here... I originally got the information from a VERY old newspaper clipping about the rabbit fur industry in England at the time (late 1800's/early 1900's). It was a lengthy article and quite thorough. Sorry, I sold off all my books, articles and clippings awhile back. Anyway, I believe they first had to remove all the hair from the pelt (by soaking, if I recall correctly). The hair was then subjected to extreme mechanized compression several times. Sorry, that's really about all I can remember. What I do remember is that the workers would usually eventually wind up in the hospital from breathing all that loose fur, which would fill their lungs.

Now days, felt is made from synthetic materials.

There are still a couple or so hat companies who still make or use "real" felt to make hats... especially cowboy hats.

Pat Lamar


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Thanks, Pat! That's interesting. I may look into it further because I really hate wasting the pelts and yet I know fryer pelts are not so good for tanning. I'm thinking... rabbit felt slippers for winter, when our floors are always chilly.


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

Best Selling rabbits at the moment in Anchorage and the Valley, Alaska: I wouldn't shy away from saying Silver Fox. I have a waiting list a mile long (And no buck! Argh!)

On the flip side, I have a waiting list for my Thriantas, but only for when I travel out of state and bring them with me! Nobody wants a 5-ish pound rabbit here unless it's angora or lop.

Flemish Giants were the hot sellers a year or so ago. You could sell all you could produce at $75 each. Market got saturated and now I'm not even going to bother to breed my doe, probably.

Purebred meat rabbits are always fairly reliable and outlast the fads.


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## AprilW (Nov 25, 2007)

Research your local market. Read advertisements, contact fellow breeders, attend rabbit shows, etc. 

In general, meat rabbits are sellable all the time. If you live near a city, you can probably easily sell pets and at higher prices than those of us in a more rural setting. For show rabbits, I feel like you should attend a few shows. Ask which breeds have the most entries and which have the least. You'll probably want a breed that is only semi-popular so that you can sell your rabbits. A very popular breed and everyone will have them, the only way to sell is if you have really good ones. A very rare breed and you may have difficulty marketing them and getting people interested in buying your stock.

In my area, northwest Georgia, it seems everyone breeds rabbits. You can get mutts for $5 each. That hurts the market for purebreds and I can barely sell a non-show rabbit for $10. Pet stores are still capable of making sales at $40 each. For me to sell a show type rabbit, I really need to go to more rabbit shows as that's where I'm able to sell. But I don't have the time.


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## jkmlad (Jun 18, 2009)

You know, your Cooperative Extension Service is a wonderful resource when trying to figure out how to "commercialize" your hobby. Having a meat market for your rabbits isn't quite enough, if you need special certification for butchering and selling your meat... or it has to be done by a commercial butcher. In my area, it's really hard to find a butcher who will do rabbits... even though we could probably sell plenty of rabbit meat to specialized restaurants in the Mid Atlantic.


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## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

nzXcali if o one has said it


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