Domestic RabbitA domestic rabbit or more commonly known as simply the rabbit is any of the several varieties of European rabbit that have been domesticated. Domestic rabbits have been used as sources of food and wool, research subjects, and as pets. Male rabbits are called bucks; females are called does. More recently, the term kit or kitten has been used to refer to a young rabbit. A young hare is called a leveret; this term is sometimes informally applied to a young rabbit as well.
Meat Rabbits
Breeds such as the New Zealand and Californian are frequently utilized for meat in commercial rabbitries. These breeds have efficient metabolisms and grow quickly; they are ready for slaughter by approximately 14 to 16 weeks of age.
Rabbit fryers are rabbits that are between 70 to 90 days of age, and weighing between 1 to 2 kg live weight. Rabbit roasters are rabbits from 90 days to 6 months of age weighing between 2 to 3.5 kg live weight. Rabbit stewers are rabbits from 6 months on weighing over 8 lb.
Any type of rabbit can be slaughtered for meat, but those exhibiting the "commercial" body type are most commonly raised for meat purposes. Dark fryers are sometimes lower in price than albino fryers because of the slightly darker tinge of the fryer and because the hide is harder to remove manually than the white albino fryers.
