FAQ

For the first year, 3–5 does and 1–2 bucks are enough to learn a full cycle of mating, kindling and raising kits at low risk. The bucks should be unrelated to the does and to each other, or inbreeding becomes a problem in the next generation. Before buying, have the cages, a constant supply of clean water, a feed source and a local vet’s contact ready. Write down every mating and kindling date; over time these records become the most useful thing on the farm.

For beginners, medium meat breeds such as the Californian and the New Zealand White are the easiest choice: they grow fast and reach slaughter weight at 2.5–3 months. Giant breeds like the Flemish Giant grow big but mature more slowly, eat more feed and cope worse with heat. Hybrids such as Hycole grow very fast but need balanced feed and good conditions. More important than the breed is buying from a healthy herd and keeping as breeders the animals that stay fertile through the summer.

Weight depends on the breed: adult Californians and New Zealand Whites weigh about 4–5 kg, while giant breeds such as the Flemish Giant reach 6 kg or more. A well-fed young meat rabbit gains about 30–40 g a day and reaches 2.3–2.5 kg live weight at 70–90 days. Giant breeds take up to 8–9 months to finish growing. A rabbit that loses weight or stops growing usually has a health, parasite or diet problem that needs finding.

Lay the rabbit on its back and gently press on either side of the genital opening with two fingers. A male shows a round, tube-shaped organ (an O shape); a female shows an elongated slit (a V or I shape). Testicles drop at about 10–12 weeks, so sexing is easier after 8 weeks and mistakes are common in very young kits. When buying, ask the seller to show you the sex in front of you.

Most of these words come from Russian: - samka is a doe (female) and sames, from samets, is a buck (male); - okrol means kindling, the doe giving birth; - suragat is a foster doe that nurses another doe’s kits; - bo‘g‘oz means pregnant, and qochgan means a doe that has been mated; - jaydari is a local rabbit of unknown breed.

A healthy rabbit is active, with a dry nose and eyes, no crusts inside the ears, a clean rear and firm, round droppings. Avoid rabbits that sneeze, are thin, or have wet front paws or a dirty rear. Ask the seller what it was fed and switch it to your feed gradually over 5–7 days. Keep new rabbits apart for 3–4 weeks of quarantine before mixing them with your herd, because bought-in animals are the most common way disease arrives.

Meat-breed rabbits are usually slaughtered at 70–90 days (2.5–3 months), at 2.3–2.5 kg live weight; giant breeds a little later. After that age a rabbit eats more but gains more slowly, so keeping it longer makes every kilogram of meat more expensive. Do not slaughter for meat a rabbit that is sick or was recently given medicine; ask a vet about the withdrawal period. Slaughtering at home for your own family is fine, but selling the meat has separate veterinary requirements.

In the Hanafi school followed in Uzbekistan, rabbit meat is considered halal. For full certainty, people usually ask the imam of their local mosque. Buyers ask this often, so sellers should be ready for the question.