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livestock – Homesteader Depot

Homesteader Depot

Tag: livestock

  • What is a Homestead Dog?

    What is a Homestead Dog?

    Dogs are great companions. Homestead dogs are more than that. They serve many functions around the farm, from taking care of predators to herding your cows. A homestead dog really does do it all and then some. Once you have one, you’ll wonder why you didn’t get a homestead dog sooner. In fact, the only better than one homestead dog is two of them. The more help that you have around the farm, the better, right?

    Choose the Right Breed

    It all starts with picking the right breed. A homestead dog can be a rescue mutt. After all, it all lies in the amount of training that you provide so that you can teach your pup to do the right things and be a big help around the homestead. With that said, you’ll want to look for the following breeds, or some combination thereof (if you’re going with a general mutt or rescue):

    German Shepherd – There’s a reason why German Shepherds are police and rescue dogs – they are tenacious, very smart, and have serious protection instincts.

    Labrador Retriever – Labs are easy to train, large enough to scare off people and keep cattle in line, and are great hunting partners.

    Collie – Lassie was a Collie, so it’s hard to overlook the brains that are the main characteristic of this breed.

    Any outdoor-loving, medium to large size dog will work. If you’re a big fan of watching dog shows on television, then focus on the hunting and herding groups. Those dogs possess all of the qualities that will make a good homestead dog.

    They Herd Your Livestock

    The classic “dogs herding your cows and cattle” image really is true. These animals will keep all of your others in line, especially if you choose a breed with natural herding instincts. (Those without can be trained, don’t worry.) You want your homestead dog to keep an eye on your livestock and understand exactly where the boundaries are so that your cattle don’t end up on someone else’s land or getting lost someplace.

    They Provide Protection

    Dogs are great at providing protection. If you allow yours in the house, they’ll bark at everyone who knocks on the door. This is a good thing, particularly if you live in the middle of nowhere and are wary of strangers lurking around who are up to something. Even when you’re not in the house – as long as you’re anywhere on the property – your dog will watch out for you and your family. It’s their job to take care of you in every way that they possibly can. You won’t have to worry much when your homestead dog is around.

    They Hunt for Small Prey

    Not only will your dog help with your livestock and protect your family, but they’ll also hunt for small prey. Those squirrels, rabbits, and foxes never stood a chance with your homestead dog around. The second something worth chasing pops up on their radar, the dog will take off after it. In the end, they’ll have chased it off or killed it, depending on whether or not they could reach the critter.

    They Provide Companionship

    Above all else, a homestead dog is a loyal companion. They will remain by your side, no matter what, keeping an eye on you and everyone else in your home. Your homestead dog will miss you so much when you’re away that they’ll great you the second you get home. They are lovable friends whose company you’ll enjoy. It’s hard to describe the bond between a homestead dog and their human, but believe us, it exists!

    Odd Little Power-Saving Trick Will Completely Change Our Lives>>>

  • Simple Pig Weighing Hack

    Simple Pig Weighing Hack

    Did you know that it’s entirely possible to figure out how much your pig weighs without putting it on a scale? Instead, you can use a number of things that you probably have lying around your house to figure out your pigs weight. A few quick measurements and calculations are all that it takes. This is much easier than trying to hoist your pig onto a scale. We’ll cover this useful pig weighing hack and some additional information here.

    Why Do You Need To Know How Much Your Pig Weighs?

    If you’ve been trying to determine when your pig is ready to be slaughtered, or your kids want to use him or her for a 4-H project, then you need to know how much it weighs. It’s good to measure and weigh your pig on a regular basis to ensure that it’s getting enough food and growing at the proper rate. You can then place these measurements in a chart and keep track of growth rates as they compare to the amounts of food provided.

    What You Need To Get Started

    Gathering your supplies constitutes the first step to determining your pig’s weight. You’ll need a tape measure, some twine, and the most important thing – a calculator. Obviously, you also need a pig. Without one, this entire endeavor is fruitless.

    Taking the Measurements

    The best time to take these measurements is while your pig is eating. This provides a good distraction, and you won’t have to deal with attempting to measure a moving animal. You also don’t want to have to dive into the mud in order to handle this task, so don’t do it while it’s wallowing either.

    Once you’ve located your pig at the trough, pull out your tape measure or piece of twine. Whichever is easier to use. You’ll measure the twine at some point anyway, so if you have a tape measure, cut out a step and just use it.

    The very first measurement is the length. This is the total length; from the base of the pig’s tail all of the way to its ears. It’s best to go from the top, measuring along you pig’s back. Hold the tape measure flush in order to get an accurate reading.

    The next measurement is the heart girth. Wrap the tape measure around the body of your pig, parallel to its legs. This is essentially the pig’s circumference as if it were a tree or something.

    Once you have those two measurements, you’ll need to apply them to the formula. This is the heart girth number squared multiplied by the length, which is then divided by 400. Here’s an example:

    A pig has a 60” length and a 54” heart girth. Your formula is 54 X 54 X 60 = 174,960. Then that last number is divided by 400: 174,960/400 = 437.4. The pig weighs 437.4 pounds. That weight includes every part of the pig, organs and all. Once the pig is butchered, you’ll lose about 100 pounds of that weight. This means that you’ll get around 330 pounds of meat from it.

    Conclusion

    Knowing how much your pig weighs is important. We already mentioned the ways in which you can track its growth over time, noting how much you feed it in order to see the ratios form. If your kids are using your pig as their 4-H or county fair project, then that data is very important. You also need to know when the pig will be ready to be butchered. This measurement formula is actually very accurate and will come in handy. It sure beats putting your pig on a scale!

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  • 5 Ways Pigs Are Valuable Beyond Just Meat

    5 Ways Pigs Are Valuable Beyond Just Meat

     

    When you are living off the land, owning animals that can provide you with food can be extremely beneficial. You may grow plenty of crops and fill your pantry with canned vegetables, but if you aren’t getting enough protein, you won’t have the energy to tend to your farm and home.

    While there are some homesteaders who don’t want to commit to raising a large farm or a herd of cattle, there are plenty of other animals such as chickens or turkeys that can ensure you have meat and eggs throughout the year. They are also low-maintenance so that you don’t have to waste a lot of your time caring for them.

    Pigs are another option that will provide you and your family with plenty of meat. While they do require plenty of food, they aren’t as difficult to raise as you may think.

    Here are a few good reasons why you should consider adding pigs to your homestead.

    1. They Will Eat Anything

    Yes, pigs eat a lot, which can be a disadvantage, but they will eat a lot of anything. Many homesteaders make their own dairy products such as cheese or butter. If you have excess whey left over from making cheese, you can feed it to the pigs. They will also eat excess milk from dairy animals, extra eggs from chickens, or any cooked leftovers that you have lying around. That means no more food thrown out the back door and nothing goes to waste.

    1. They are Excellent Tillers

    Pigs will till any area that you place them in. Many people think that the rooting that pigs do naturally is a bad habit and it should be stopped. But it’s only a terrible thing if you have them in an area where you don’t want to disturb the soil. The tilled land where pigs once lived is a suitable place to grow vegetables. That is because along with loosening up the soil, it is also well-fertilized.

     

    3. They Help Eliminate Parasites 

    Pigs are a dead-end for parasites that often become an issue with other farm animals such as cattle, goats, or sheep. Since pigs have internal parasites that are different from other animals, they help clean up the land when they follow other grazing animals. If you place your pigs in a field with grazing animals such as sheep or goats, the pigs will consume the eggs and larvae of the parasites on those animals. Their bodies are capable of digesting the parasites without harm. Goat parasites will not survive inside of pigs.

     

    1. You Receive an Abundance of Meat

    The best thing about raising pigs is the amount of meat that you can get from them. You can add more variety to your diet and create a wide range of meals for your family all while homesteading. And the best thing about it is that you know where the meat came from. You raised the pigs humanely and know exactly what type of diet they consumed.

    Suggested Article: “5 Keys to Choosing the Perfect Livestock”

    1. Extra Income

    If you end up with more meat than you need, you can always sell the additional meat for profit. Many people will raise pigs just to sell the meat and not keep it for themselves, while others may raise additional pigs to sell. You can choose to sell the pig itself or the meat after it is butchered. Either way, you end up with a substantial profit that can help with supplies during the winter.

    If you want to have enough pork for your entire family, you should get two to three piglets in the spring. Raise them throughout the summer and then butcher them that fall. Then you can do the same the following year. Raising a pig for that period of time will usually produce around 170 to 200 pounds of meat, which should be more than enough meat to keep any homesteader happy.

  • Can Rabbits Contribute to a Homestead?

    Can Rabbits Contribute to a Homestead?

    Not just for pets, including rabbits on a homestead can be a great way to contribute to your food supplies, both as a food source and a natural fertilizer for your garden.  If you’re into fiber arts or want some extra money, angora rabbits give an additional benefit just by growing their fur.

    Rabbits for Manure

    A single rabbit can produce approximately a pound of dry manure each week.  That’s roughly 50 pounds a year. This high-quality soil conditioner is usually low in weed seeds thanks to the prepared foods typically used to feed them.  It also contains an excellent nutrient content that beats cows, horses and goats both when used fresh and when dried.

    The application can be done a few ways depending on what you need it for.  If you are feeding ornamental plants, top-dress them with fresh manure.  For produce gardens, mix it with your compost pile and let sit for at least 3 weeks before spreading on the garden areas.

    Need worms for your compost pile?  Start a worm farm under the rabbit hutch using red wigglers.  This will assist with odor control in the hutch, and provide you with a great source of worm castings, compost worms, and the manure.

    NOTE:  If your wigglers freeze to death during the winter, just replace them come spring. Learn more here: “Worm Farming”

    Rabbits for Meat

    Once you’ve gotten your “herd” started, rabbits are a really good way to add to your food sources with very little extra money.  We all know the old cliché “breeds like rabbits” and it’s true.  A well cared for trio will provide low-fat, low cholesterol, high-quality meat for years to come.

    Related Article:  “Simple Guide to Raising Meat Rabbits”

    Although some breeders consider some rabbit breeds too little to butcher, like the Mini Rex, any rabbit can provide meat when you need it.  If food is going to be your primary goal for adding rabbits to your property, some breeds developed especially to be a meat source include the Californian, the New Zealand and the Giant Chinchilla.

    Rabbits for Fiber

    Although not great for eating, angora wool rabbits will provide fertilizer and a little extra money for your trouble.  If you know someone into fiber art, this resource is amazing for fiber artists. It is excellent for spinning and weaving or can be sold raw.

    Of course, with added benefits comes added responsibility.  Angoras need regular grooming to keep them in immaculate condition, sometimes up to once a day.  Wool collections can be done quarterly by shearing.

    If fiber production sounds like a great idea, here are some breeds that will work.

    English Angora

    A smaller type of angora, English rabbits require more maintenance than other angoras.  But, at an average of 5-7 lbs., you can have a few more in the same space and still receive a good production of wool.

    French Angora

    A little larger at 7.5 to 9.5 lbs. the French rabbit’s wool is a litter rougher than the English but needs less maintenance.

    Giant Angora

    True to its name, the Giant Angora Rabbit averages about 10.5 lbs.  Giants are white with red eyes.

    Some Final Info that Could Become Veeery Helpful…

    To keep your rabbits healthy and reduce the possibility of stomach and tooth issues, avoid sweet foods like fruits and carrots and focus on grasses, and non-sweet veggies.  Sugary foods can lead to an imbalance of bacteria in their tummies and make them sick.

    And, finally, an important word on reproduction.  Rabbits are able to conceive again less than an hour after giving birth!  (Yikes!)

    So, if you’re long-term plans are to start slowly, keep a firm eye on the male at all times!  If they aren’t already, separate them and keep them separate before, during and immediately after the birthing.

    More Info:  “Comprehensive Guide Covering Everything You Need to Know About Raising Rabbits”

  • 3 Keys to Choosing the Perfect Livestock

    3 Keys to Choosing the Perfect Livestock

    A farm or homestead without livestock seems unusual, to say the least.  Whether you see yourself with a flock of cheerful chickens, a herd of graceful goats or a few calming cows, livestock are a valuable food source that should be planned for carefully, then cared for consistently.

    Are You Ready to Be Available Every Minute of Every Day?

    Are you prepared to be “on-call” for your animals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? When you enter the world of livestock, a few things to be aware of are:

    • Newborns usually come in the middle of the night.
    • Orphaned or abandoned babies will need you to feed them around the clock.
    • Escaped animals and flattened fencing will need attending to immediately, even in 110o F heat.

    Just like having kids, keeping livestock can tie you down in ways you can’t even imagine.  And, they won’t eventually grow up and learn how to take care of themselves like kids will.

    Basic Ownership Preparation and Considerations

    Before you add animals to your homestead, evaluate your situation and skills to see if you have what you need to support the new lives coming in. The following points will help you in your evaluation.

    Research, research, research-Knowledge is power!  Educate yourself on each of your options before you make any purchases.

    Talk to the Local Vet-Find out what animals the veterinarians in your area are qualified to treat.  This info alone can go a long way in helping you decide what livestock to get.

    Similar Article: “Are You Ready for Livestock?”

    Look for a Soul Mate-If you have a loud and abrupt personality, and so does your livestock, you could easily run into more issues than you want to deal with. Assess yourself and research compatible animals. In the same breath, many species require brute strength to safely interact with them, make sure you don’t take on more than you can handle.

    Enjoy the Animals-You must honestly take pleasure working with the kind of livestock you choose.

    Have Their New Home Ready and Waiting-Make sure you have ample land, structures, and resources before you finally bring them home.

    So, What Are Your Options?

    Here is some basic info on the most common livestock homesteaders consider when adding to their property.

    Beef Cattle

    Beef cattle are low maintenance and don’t need complex facilities. Most people are able to handle cattle with minimum issues and local vets can usually treat them. If you decide to go the milk cattle route, you will need to make sure you have the proper equipment to handle the milking process and storage.

    Goats

    According to a publication by Florida A&M University, 70% percent of the world population eats goat regularly. If that’s not to your fancy, dairy products like goat milk and cheese are another good protein source. Additionally, known to eat just about anything, you can picket them or corral them in a different area each day and never have to mow your lawn again.

    Rabbits

    Whether for meat, fiber, or just to have as a pet, rabbits can bring a lot to a homestead.  Just don’t go too far too fast.  Proceed carefully and know your limits.  And, keep the males away from the females unless you want your “herd” to expand exponentially.

    Related Article: “Beginners Guide to Buying Rabbits”

    So, whether you go small, medium, or large, make sure you are thoroughly prepared to take on the challenges adding livestock to your way of life can produce.

    Chickens

    Chickens need very little besides food, water, a safe place to sleep, and a few hours from you each week to gather eggs and clean the roosts.  For that relatively little amount of effort, you will be rewarded with fresh eggs and roast chicken on Sundays (or Mondays, or Tuesdays….)

    If chickens are your choice, I suggest taking a look at this guide to building the perfect chicken coops to protect your new friends and future food source <<<Click Here>>>

    Pigs

    Pigs are one of the easiest animals for your homestead because they will eat literally anything, they will be your living compost.  No need to throw away and waste anything edible, your pigs will take care of that.

    They are also great at killing parasites that may harm you other livestock, they have different internal parasites that can digest other animal parasites.  Let them graze with your other animals to help clean up the pasture and keep everyone healthy.

    The obvious reason would be the delicious meat such as ham, sausage, and bacon.

    In conclusion, livestock is a great source for food if a self-sustaining homestead is what you are looking for.  Even though it may take some time, research and hard work, the end result will be worth it.

    Here are some other food options for your “Survival Farm”

     

  • A Brief History of Goats

    A Brief History of Goats

     

    Goats are a wonderful choice for an animal to keep on a homestead. They provide delicious milk which can be used for cheese, yogurt, even butter. They help out with clearing land or mowing since they are notorious for eating nearly everything (we’ve all seen the ubiquitous imagery of a goat gnawing on a can). Meat breeds of goat can quickly and easily fill up your freezer with delicious, nutritious meat. They are also relatively easy to care for, and, since they can provide either meat or dairy, are much smaller and easier (not to mention cheaper!) than cows.

    Great Choice for First Livestock

    If you’ve ever thought about starting livestock on your current or future homestead, goats are a great animal to start with. In fact, they were most likely one of the first livestock choices that the human race made.

    Archaeologists believe that goats were one of the very first animals domesticated by man. Their remains have been found in geological deposits that scientists say are millions of years old, some even resembling a now-vanished native British breed of goat in that region.

    Maybe 7,000 years…

    Evidence of their domestication has been found at historical sites like Jericho, from as far back as 7,000 years ago. The evidence of both domestication of goats and interactions with their wild counterparts only mounts as civilization continued.

    Beautiful Artwork

    Goats are found in ancient artwork and literature from nearly every continent. and remain a constant presence in many countries to this day. The mythology of many ancient peoples is full of references to goats or goat-gods, particularly in Greek mythology, which tells of a goat that raised the god Zeus, who in turn placed this goat in the night sky, as the sat Capella. Dionysus, the god of decadence, suckled on goat’s milk while Pan, the god of mountains, shepherds, and flocks, has goats legs and horns.

    You’re probably very familiar with the images of Pan, pictured to the right.

    Bible…

    The goat also plays a prominent role in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, and historical evidence confirms that the people in the region the Torah was written would have been avid goat herders as well as shepherds. The stories of the Old Testament are full of accounts of a life lived among flocks of goats and sheep, and the goat became an important sacrificial animal in the Law given to the Hebrew people by Moses.

    Due to a certain reference to goats in the New Testament, they have come to be associated with Satan and evil. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus says he will return to “separate the goats from the sheep”. Between this and the role goats play in many pagan cultures, worship of the goat mostly ceased as Christianity spread around the world.

    Conclusion

    Regardless, the goat still plays a very important role in the world today. Nearly 75% of all the world’s goats reside in developing and under-developed nations, where entire communities can be wholly reliant on their goat herds.

    The goat has played an important role in the development of humanity and, due to their usefulness, will clearly continue to do so.

     

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  • Tips For Raising Your Own Holiday Turkey

    Tips For Raising Your Own Holiday Turkey

    If you’ve considered how cool it would be to raise and cook your very own Thanksgiving turkey, then we at Homesteader Depot fully encourage you to do this. We are all about raising and growing your own, and this is a very fun way to get started raising poultry and save some money over the holidays!

    That being said, there are a couple things you should know. It’s not quite as simple as buying some baby turkeys, known as poults, and feeding them until November, then slaughtering and serving. If your goal is to have a freshly slaughtered turkey for your Thanksgiving meal, you need to be mindful of a few things. Also, there are a few other holidays you could raise a turkey for! But more on that later.

     

    To Start

    Turkey breeds that you’re used to seeing grace the family table during the holidays grow very fast. If you begin raising breeds like this in the spring, they will be huge by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, and possibly won’t even fit in your oven! These commercial breeds can reach sometimes higher than 20 lbs at 20 weeks of age. If this is the breed of poult you can get your hands on or would like to breed, and you buy them in the springtime, you’d probably be better off slaughtering them early and keeping them in the freezer. It might not be fresh, but it would still be your very own, organic turkey.

    Slaughtering these turkeys earlier than November can be more humane, as well. Really big breeds like this can suffer in intense summer heat, as their respiratory systems get taxed trying to cool their big bodies down.  For breeds like this, it’s best to start in late July, so they will reach a good size for serving by Thanksgiving.

    Of course, the great thing about raising your own livestock is you are not at all limited to these commercial breeds! If you’re interested in a more unique, natural kind of Thanksgiving turkey, and have an interest in raising turkeys in general for your homestead, you will want to consider a naturally-mating, heritage poult. These breeds will, as the classification implies, breed naturally and provide you with fresh poults in the springtime, to continue on growing and relying on your gang (actual name for a group of turkeys, not kidding!) for sustenance throughout the year.

    However, if you’re going with a non-commercial breed like this and you’d like to raise a prize Thanksgiving turkey, you need to buy your poults right away! You won’t want to start any later than May to have a turkey worthy of stuffing by the time the holiday arrives. These breeds can take between 24 and 28 weeks to reach the desired size to attend a large family feast.

     

    Other Holiday Turkeys

    But enough about Thanksgiving! Although this is the holiday we have grown to associate the most with turkey, this tasty poultry can also be served to celebrate Christmas or Easter! For Christmas, obviously, you will want to apply the same reasoning you would for Thanksgiving, simply shifted a couple of weeks later (although again, you can always simply slaughter and freeze your birds when they reach a large enough size, even if it’s before the holiday in question).

    While ham traditionally graces the Easter feast, it was not too long ago that turkey used to serve this purpose as well, and certainly still can! The thing is turkeys who have lived through the winter put on an extra layer of fat that can lend itself to some incredibly delicious flavoring, making it perfect for a festive occasion in the spring.

    To raise a bird that will be the right size and flavor for an Easter or other spring gatherings, choose June or July hatchlings to assign to the task. These will be ideal and can be slaughtered midwinter to be frozen through the spring if they get too large.

    So many people these days seem to associate a large, juicy turkey with Thanksgiving alone. In fact, you often only see whole turkeys in the supermarkets around Thanksgiving! However, these delicious birds reach such large sizes, they’re ideal for big family gatherings or festive occasions throughout the year.

    So when summertime approaches, consider buying some poults for your homestead this year and try your hand at raising your own holiday turkey!

     

  • How to Buy a Rabbit Starter Stock

    How to Buy a Rabbit Starter Stock

    Rabbits are a great animal to raise on a homestead. They don’t take up much space, they breed very efficiently, are affordable to feed, and their meat is delicious.

    Since one of the biggest appeals of raising rabbits is how quickly and easily they reproduce, you will need to get yourself set up with what’s called a starter stock. These will be the first rabbits you buy, that will go on to reproduce and build your herd.

    Rabbit Breeders

    To find your first rabbits, you’ll have to find someone who’s already selling them. A great place to look at first is a state fair. Even if you can’t find someone exhibiting at the fair, you might be able to ask around and get some leads. Additionally, there might be rabbitries in your area, or you can check your local newspaper for listings.

    Another great place to find rabbit breeders would be your local feed store. They might have a bulletin where people would post rabbits for sale, or the employees might even know themselves of customers who breed and sell rabbits.

    What Kind of Stock

    As far as choosing which animals to buy, the most important thing is to buy healthy animals. There are a great many breeds of rabbits, both pure and mixed-breed too, but worry more about the health of the animals than the breed. If you are able to compare rabbitries, you will get a good sense of what a healthy animal looks like.

    Be discerning and cautious; it’s not unlikely that a breeder might want to unload their inferior stock on someone else. Healthy rabbitries will be clean and well-tended, and healthy rabbits will be perky and happy, rather than lethargic and “droopy”. You can ask what the rabbits are being fed and their general care.

    How Many Rabbits?

    A great starting point with rabbits is to simply have a single rabbit as a pet, to get an idea for their care and needs, or a pregnant doe that you can start your herd with. One pregnant doe, once she has given birth, will provide you with plenty of progeny and meat within 6 months.

    It is also common to start with two pregnant does and a mature buck, or one pregnant doe and one mature buck, plus a junior couple who can breed a little further down the road. These are very solid starting off points if you are serious about breeding rabbits.

    Food

    When you first introduce your rabbits to their new home, you’ll want to make sure they’re eating the same feed they had at their place of origin. Most animals simply adjust better to a new home if they have that familiarity.

    Before taking rabbits home, see if you can buy some feed from the breeder in addition to the rabbits.  You’ll want enough to get them adjusted and comfortable in their new homes. Once they start to settle in, you can gradually change them to the feed of your choice, if you’d like to feed them something else.

    Transitioning to a different type of feed is easy; you simply start by giving them a small amount of the new feed mixed in with their old, familiar feed, and slowly adjust the proportions over time, until they are eating the new feed exclusively.

    Quarantine

    It’s always wise with any new animal you bring home to your homestead to quarantine them away from other animals for a few weeks. You wouldn’t want your new animals to get sick, or to bring a sickness to the animals you already have. Especially for animals raised in close proximity to others, like rabbits, this is very prudent. Odds are, no one will get sick, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

    Breeds

    Although it is pertinent to buy a healthy rabbit, it’s also good to be familiar with different rabbit breeds. You can do this by regularly attending county fairs, watching videos online, or checking out a book from your local library.

    If you simply want to raise rabbits for pet, any breed will do. Go with whatever strikes your fancy.

    To raise rabbits for meat, however, you’ll want to take a few factors into consideration. First of all, if you want to raise meat, do you want a breed that is normally sold commercially for meat, with a high amount of meat and a fast growth rate? Or perhaps something more unique, like a specialty breed?

    Or perhaps you’d like to raise them for their pelts, in which case you’ll want to think about what color would be best, as well as the length of the fur. For example, Harlequin rabbits are calico patterned, while the chinchilla has a “ticked” fur. New Zealands, a very common breed, have more solid colors like white, red, or black. Angoras have long, fluffy hair, while the Rex breed has shorter, more velvet-like fur. There is a broad range of characteristics between these examples, as well.

    Finally, consider size. There is everything from small, dwarf breeds, to giants.

    Pedigree

    Finally, consider the pedigree, if this is something that matters to you. There are 45 officially recognized rabbit breeds.

    You by no means have to buy purebred, after all, health is the most important factor. It is common to find mixed breed stock, which will have the characteristics of one breed or another. Some of these rabbits might, in fact, be purebred, but without the proper paperwork they aren’t technically “pedigreed”.

    If you’d like to raise purebred yourself, you need to understand the process it takes to get registered. This is done through the American Rabbit Breeders Association, and not only do you need to have the parents and grandparents of the rabbit you’d like to register, but the rabbit must be fully grown as well.

     

    Raising rabbits is very rewarding and fun! If you start off right, you’re sure to be an expert breeder in no time.

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