Many rabbit shows and fairs have a class called Meat Pen. If you are buying rabbits for a 4H project, this may be one of the options you want to try. To compete in a meat pen class, you must have three young rabbits ten weeks or less from the same litter. Each should weigh between three and five pounds. The winning pen will contain three rabbits that are nearly identical in appearance, weight, and condition.
It is best to prepare by knowing the rules for displaying meat pens before you begin. Join the American Rabbit Breeders Association and purchase the Standard of Perfection. This will allow you to learn about all the breeds recognized by the association and learn the rules for displaying meat pens, as well as displaying individual rabbits, competing in fur and other classes. When you enroll in ARBA, you will receive a book that will teach you about proper rabbit care. The covers of the books show rabbits, meat rabbits, and pets.
You can raise your meat pen from litters hatched from your own rabbits, or you can purchase a meat pen from a rabbit breeder. Most meat pens are purchased when rabbits are four to five weeks old. This allows you to breed them yourself to the proper weight and age for competition.
Beef pen competitions are dominated by New Zealand whites and Californians. These two breeds are most often bred for meat, so they have been bred to develop quickly. Other breeds you may see in meat pens include New Zealand Reds or Blacks, Champagne D’Argents, Palominos, American Sables, Chinchillas, Cinnamons, Crème D’Argents, Rex, Satins, Silver Fox, and Silver Martens. All of these breeds have been bred to provide nutritious meals to families around the world.
If you are raising your own meat pen, count ten weeks from the date of your program. This is when rabbits should be born. Your female must be raised four weeks before, since the gestation is between 28 and 31 days. If you do not have players, it is best to start looking for some at least four to five months before the show. Females must be a minimum of six months old before being bred. If you are expecting only one female, you may end up without a litter. Your best bet for the best possible meat pen is to raise multiple females at that time. If you have time, let them have a litter before you need to breed for your show. This allows them to learn to raise their babies and you will have fewer setbacks.
When buying stocks, you’ll need to weigh your options between buying from a commercial rabbit breeder and someone who raises show stocks. Ideally, you want fast-growing rabbits like those developed by commercial breeders, but at the same time, they should meet their breed standard like show rabbits do. Go to a rabbit show if you can and meet the breeders of the types of rabbits you are considering. Even if they don’t have stocks for you to buy, they may have contacts with other people or can give you good advice on what to look for and how to achieve your goals.