By Erin Roberts, Central Director
In my years of raising rabbits (which hasn’t been as long as some but has definitely been long enough that it’s probably safe to say that I’m no longer a beginner) I have had a number of rabbit breeds in my barn. I think that’s a common occurrence with rabbit fanciers. It really is hard to have just one breed. The breed I have kept, and the only breed I currently raise, is Americans. This is the breed I imagine I will always keep, as long as I’m able to raise rabbits.
But why raise Americans? What is it about this rabbit that makes it such a keeper? The answer will be unique to each individual who falls in love with this breed but I am going to try and highlight a few of the reasons that resonate with me and with the many American breeders I have met over the years.
Some of the most popular reasons to keep Americans are their temperaments and personalities. Americans have a calm demeanor and are just easy to deal with. Beginners and children usually have no problems handling these big babies. Overall the American rabbit is one that is not skittish or prone to viciousness. I have owned other breeds that are known to be docile but the one thing that I’ve never had to do with an American that I have with others is to cull for being overly aggressive. Don’t take their gentleness for being deadheads. The American is a rabbit with personality. They are curious and many seek out human interaction. They can be playful in the rabbit way, and so many enjoy being scratched and petted. Be prepared to have your hands licked and nibbled by inquisitive kits and “naughty” juniors. Prepare yourself to have to love on your herd buck before he’ll eat his food.
Another reason to keep Americans, is that they are productive! Good American stock will produce healthy sized litters. I personally had a doe that would consistently birth litters of twelve to sixteen kits. That’s a lot of babies. Large litters are not uncommon although on average six to ten kits in a litter is what a person can expect. Most American does have good mothering abilities and can raise those large litters to weaning with few losses.
American does are able to be bred extensively and keep condition while raising a number of litters from year to year. Bucks tend to be good breeders who figure out their job pretty quickly. Some other breeds I’ve had I sometimes felt like the buck needed a slide-show presentation on how to breed, but not my Americans! They’ll get the job done. Americans are some of the most willing to breed rabbits I’ve owned. With just a little observation and timing, breeding Americans is not difficult at all. Do Americans breed like rabbits? They sure can.
American rabbits have good growth rates. I will admit they may not all have quite the growth rate of the best commercial rabbit lines, but Americans can hold their own for the backyard family farm. Kits easily hit slaughter weights in 8-10 weeks time. There are lots of factors that come into play with growth rates, but good American stock has the genetics to make raising them ideal for food.
When considering them on the basis of looks and fur, the blue, what can I say? A blue American rabbit in prime fur is a fabulous looking animal. The deep, nearly midnight steel blue color of an American rabbit is its signature. American breeders strive for the deepest, richest blue fur they can achieve with their rabbits and when you see it, the color is unmatched. Many people fall in love with that beautiful blue. While not as ogled over as the blue variety, a prime white is a looker too. The density and texture of American fur in any color is a beautiful pelt.
Preservation is another great reason to work with this breed. Raise Americans to preserve a heritage breed that is working hard to improve in both population and quality. Not too many years ago the American breed was almost nonexistent. Serious efforts from dedicated rabbit breeders have seen the American slowly recover in numbers. Breeders of American rabbits would love to see this wonderful breed continue to grow in population, popularity and quality. None of those goals can be reached without breeders willing to work on promoting, preserving and improving the American rabbit. Raise Americans to preserve a little bit of history.
Raise Americans for the challenge! Working with a rare breed presents challenges that more popular and populous breeds don’t really have to worry about. Unlike the popular breeds such as Mini Rex or New Zealand, finding Americans to add to your barn can be challenging depending on your location. You may need to have rabbits shipped to you from many states away or take a few trips to some long distance rabbit shows to find your stock.
Once you acquire your stock you will need to critically evaluate the rabbits you produce to meet the Standard of Perfection. Working with Americans means working with a gene pool much smaller than many other breeds. This means producing rabbits that meet the Standard and represent the breed is something you will need to work hard for. You may have to seek out additional stock, purchase different rabbits, or talk to other breeders to gain insight on what you can do improve your breedings.
So why will you raise Americans? Personally, they have given me a way to provide for my family. They have given me a deeper knowledge of breeding I might not have received if I had chosen a different breed. They have given me an appreciation for the dedication of the original developers and the continued efforts of breeders from the past hundred plus years.
For me, I can’t imagine not having these funny, sweet and rock-star rabbits in my barn.