*rabbits* mini rex does... what breed of buck to breed to?

[ohiogoatgirl]

i have two mini rex does that are going to be breeding age soon. i'm wondering what buck i should use...
i'm going to call about an ad for a mini rex buck. then i can use him once i get some NZs or californians.
i know someone close that i might be able to breed them to a NZ or californian. but i wasnt sure whether that would be bad because mini rex are smaller and i wouldnt want them to have problems with their first kindling because of big kits.
i could breed them to one of my dutch bucks but i was hoping to have their litters for freezer camp and i wasnt thinkin that mini rex/dutch kits would grow good for meat.
and i was hoping to keep some does for more breeders so i was really hoping that breeding them to a NZ or californian would be okay. that way i would have nice meaty rabbits.

thoughts? any other breeds that would be good for what i want/need?
thanks

 

[Wannabefree]

I'd breed to Dutch. The NZ and Cali's would be too large I would think. If they were standard Rex's it might be different, but no way I'd chance that breeding with Mini's. Dutch and Rex are both used for meat, they just won't grow out as fast or large as the other crosses.

 

[pinkfox]

id never do a mini rex doe with anything more than 2lbs larger than her tops (and its better if the buck is slightly smaller than the doe in the mini/dwarf breeds for ease) id never risk a mini rex under a cali or NZ buck...
a smal dutch buck could work, but quite honeslty since minis arnt going to be mich good for meat (youd have to grow them to adult size just to get a 2-3lb dressed bun) (though that would give you prime pelts) id personally get a mini rex buck to go with them...
mixing rex is tough, because in their offspring you wont get the rex coat wo you just end up wiht mutts, and small ones at that...pure mini rex though do have a good folowing in the pet and show market so youd get more money for pure and then caninvest in larger breeds (like standard rex or comercial breeds) for your meaties.

but no i wouldnt risk the cali/nz bucks on them.

i wouldnt even risk a cali/nz buck on a small Standard rex doe (any doe under 9lbs) but a good standard doe in the 10-10 1/2lb range would be fine under a comercial...
but never a mini rex (who should be maxed at 4 1/2lbs)

if your looking for meat, a mini rex is not a good choice in breed in general.
not onlysize, but small litter size (4 kits is normal fora mini rex) growth rate, rex in general grow slower...and downsizing, even if you could breed a mini rex doe to a comerical buck,the kits would still not grow as fast as comercial and onlybe about "mid size" given the mini rex doe SHOULD be fll grown at 4 1/2 and a 12lbs for an adult cali/nz buck, youd prbably get 6-7lbs full grown on the rabbits with a 12 week dress out of mabe 2lbs...

if meat is your big goal, sell the mini rex and replace them with standard rex, newzelands, californians, or any similar mix.
americans, american chinchilla, sable, beveren, champagne, cinnamon, creme dargent, palomino, satin, silver fox, silver marten, and though smaller the florida white would allmake good choices.
dont do flemish, while they have great size, its mostly bone and they dont make a good meat breed (thougha comerical buck on a nz doe can giveyou some nice meaty babies...) same goes for giant chinchilla ect...
and while french lop are doable for meat ive found lops in general can be hard to breed sucessfully...(the french and english tend to be bad mothers overall)

minis are great for the pet market...but even when mixed, nto going to do you much good for the freezer unless you want "single serving bunnies" where each person gets thier own lol.