We have started raising rabbits for meat again. They are a huge asset here on our little homestead. The only other source of protein that we grow is chickens. Since we keep chickens for eggs, by the time we are ready to process the older layers, they are only usable for soups and broth. Having something that can be grilled or baked is nice for the variety. There are a lot of different breeds of rabbits and many are good for meat production. We did a little research and tried an assortment before we finally chose to raise Dutch exclusively. Their size, cost, ease of keeping and mothering abilities made them the perfect fit for us.
Before we narrowed down our breed choice, we tried raising some larger rabbits. One of those fryers would make 3 to 4 meals and we got really tired of eating the leftovers. On average we get a 2 pound carcass when the Dutch are dressed at fryer age. The meat to bone ratio is really good. One fryer rabbit is plenty for a meal. At the stewing age a Dutch rabbit will also make 2-3 good dinners (such as rabbit stew, noodles, pot pie, etc...) There is no need to continue to feed a grow-out past this point and I would much rather get an extra rabbit out of the freezer when we have the occasional dinner guest than deal with leftovers after every single meal.
Due to their smaller size, Dutch rabbits don't need a lot of feed to grow or maintain. We buy a 50 pound bag of rabbit pellets about every 5-6 weeks but we never let the feed barrel go empty so I can't say exactly how much they eat. I also supplement with some yard goodies- clover, plantain, dandelion, etc... Occasional garden scraps and a couple bales of timothy hay round out their dietary needs. It's economical to supply that for the breeders (2 does, 1 buck) and the grow-outs.
Dutch rabbits are fairly easy to raise. We don't treat our rabbits like pets but none of them have ever shown any signs of aggression. They do well in cages so we don't have to worry about parasites from the ground and unplanned breeding.
By the second breeding a Dutch doe has usually got the mothering thing down. Except for the occasional loss from nest box escape, ours have done a really good job of raising offspring to the weaning stage with no help from me. Every doe we've raised has produced a good litter size. We expect to find 6-8 kits per breeding and have gotten as many as 12- but that is a rarer occurrence. By breeding 2 does 3 times per year, we can realistically count on putting 36-48 rabbits in the freezer per year.
Overall, Dutch rabbits are a perfect fit for our situation. The costs and benefits balance well which means we can feel secure in our decision to include them on our homestead.
