Rabbits are raised and kept for many different reasons.  They are kept for pets or raised for meat and fur.  They are also used in medical research and some breeds for their wool.  There are at least 45 different breeds of rabits reacognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.  Our primary interest in rabbits here at the yardstead will be for their meet and droppings.  Because of our limited space we are interested in small livestock and rabbits are an ideal choice.  Rabbits are fairly easy to raise and produce a lot of meat compared to the amount of food they consume.  They are easy to care for and produce healthy tasty meat.
Popular rabbit breeds for pets include Dutch, Jersey Wooly, Mini-lop, Mini Rex, and Netherland Dwarf.  According to the ARBA the Mini Rex is the most popular breed for pets.  All rabbits can be raised for meat but a few breeds have been developed specifically for meat production.  These include the Giant Chinchilla, New Zealand and Californian breeds.  These breeds have been selected for  large litter size, frequent breeding and high milk production.  All of these traits contribute to the rabbits........