The Florida White is a relatively small breed rabbit originally produced for the laboratory or smaller meat rabbit. [1] They are all white in color with no other markings, and have Albino red eyes. They are a recognized American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) breed. [2]
![Florida White next to a bush muy[?] 0016.JPG](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%BD_0016.JPG/220px-%E0%B4%AE%E0%B5%81%E0%B4%AF%E0%B5%BD_0016.JPG)
The Florida White rabbit was accepted as a breed by the ARBA in 1967. [1] The breed originator was ARBA Judge Orville Miliken.[ citation needed ] He crossed an albino Dutch, an albino Polish and a small but "typie" (sic) New Zealand white and through progressive selection and line breeding produced a strain of compact animals.
The Florida White was developed to provide a smaller rabbit for laboratory use and provide a small meat rabbit with good production and a favorable dress-out ratio for the personal consumption home breeder of today.[ citation needed ]
They have a compact body with firm flesh, small bones, small heads and small feet, excellent feed-to-meat conversion, and a nearly 65% meat-to-bone ratio. This means there is very little waste in processing. [3]
The Florida White is also an excellent show animal. The Florida White Standard of Perfection, which is available from the ARBA, describes the point system used to judge the Florida White. The number one consideration in showing the Florida White is the body or type which carries 65 points, though the condition of the rabbit which would include firm flesh and fur, carries 35 points.[ citation needed ]
The fur is white with good density and texture, and they have a compact, meaty body, short neck, and small head. The ideal senior weight for the breed is 5 pounds, with an acceptable range from 4-6 pounds, while the junior weighs 2.25-4.5 pounds.[ citation needed ]
Florida Whites are generally docile, good-natured, gentle and relaxed rabbits.[ citation needed ] This breed is generally hardy and healthy. They have an average lifespan of 5 to 8 years.[ citation needed ]
Cuniculture is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising domestic rabbits as livestock for their meat, fur, or wool. Cuniculture is also employed by rabbit fanciers and hobbyists in the development and betterment of rabbit breeds and the exhibition of those efforts. Scientists practice cuniculture in the use and management of rabbits as model organisms in research. Cuniculture has been practiced all over the world since at least the 5th century.
The Angora rabbit, one of the most ancient groups of domestic rabbit breeds, which is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool. They are gathered by shearing, combing or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA): the English Angora, the French Angora, the Giant Angora and the Satin Angora. Other unrecognized breeds include the German Angora, the Finnish Angora, the Chinese Angora, the Japanese Angora, the Korean Angora, the Russian Angora, the St Lucian Angora and the Swiss Angora.
The Netherland Dwarf is a breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Netherlands. Weighing 1.1–2.5 pounds (0.50–1.13 kg), the Netherland Dwarf is one of the smallest rabbit breeds. Its popularity as a pet or show rabbit may stem from its neotenic appearance. The Netherland Dwarf is recognised by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Netherland Dwarf is often confused with the Polish breed of rabbit, but the latter has longer ears, a non-brachycephalic head and less cobbiness.
The Jersey Wooly is a breed of domestic rabbit weighing about 3 pounds with a bold head and wool fur on their body.
The Polish rabbit is a compact breed of domestic rabbit, most often bred by fanciers and commonly exhibited in rabbit shows. Despite its name, the Polish rabbit likely originated in England, not Poland. The breed known in the UK as Polish is the breed known in the US as Britannia Petite. The breed known in the US as Polish is unknown in the UK.
The Californian, also known as the California White, is a breed of domestic rabbit initially developed for the fur and meat industries by George S. West of Lynwood, California, starting in 1923. West maintained a herd of 300 genetically pure New Zealand Whites, which he began crossing with Standard Chinchilla rabbits for their dense coat and Himalayan rabbits. This new breed, named after the state of its origin, was first shown in 1928, and a standard was accepted by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1939.
The Mini Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is different from the Miniature Lop breed that is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Mini Lop [US] and the Miniature Lop [UK] are different from the Dwarf Lop breed that is recognized by the BRC. The Mini Lop is similar to several other small rabbit breeds, such as the Dwarf rabbit.
The Holland Lop is a breed of lop-eared rabbit that was recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1979. The Holland Lop, with a maximum weight of 1.8 kg (4 lb), is one of the smallest lop-eared breeds.
The American Fuzzy Lop is a rabbit breed recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is similar in appearance to a Holland Lop. However, the American Fuzzy Lop is a wool breed and will have wool similar to the Angora breeds although the wool will be shorter than that of a commercial Angora. The American fuzzy lop has to weigh up to four pounds in order to be shown.
Mini Rex is a breed of domestic rabbit that was created in 1984 in Florida by the late Monna Berryhill of Texas. The Rex mutation, derived in France in the 19th century, is recessive and causes the hair to protrude outwards from the body, instead of lying flat, and the guard hairs to be shortened to the length of the undercoat, or a bit longer.
The Flemish Giant rabbit is the largest breed of domestic rabbit. They weigh 6.8 kilograms on average, though the largest ones can weigh up to 22 kilograms. Historically they are a utility breed used for their fur and meat. In the modern day, they are no longer commonly raised for meat, due to their slow growth and very large bones, and are raised for exhibition at rabbit shows. They are often kept as pets as they are known for being docile and patient when being handled.
The American Rabbit is a breed of rabbit, recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1917. According to the ARBA Standard of Perfection, American rabbits have a mandolin body shape. It has also been noted for a docile temperament and good mothering abilities. As with all domestic rabbits, the American breed is of the species Oryctolagus cuniculus, the European wild rabbit.
The Beveren is one of the oldest and largest breeds of fur rabbits. It was first bred in Beveren, a small town near Antwerp in Belgium. Their coats can be blue, white, black and lilac, though not all of these varieties are ARBA-recognized. There is a rare variety called the Pointed Beveren, which comes in the same colors but has white tipped hairs. The blue variety is the original.
The Argenté rabbit is one of the oldest breeds of French show rabbits. The British Rabbit Council (BRC) recognises six varieties: Argenté Bleu, Argenté Brun, Argenté Crème, Argenté de Champagne, Argenté Noir, and Argenté St Hubert. The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) recognises the Champagne d'Argent, the Crème d'Argent and the Argenté Brun. A rare variety, the Argenté Clair, is not currently recognised by either the BRC or ARBA.
The Cinnamon rabbit is a breed of domesticated rabbit created "accidentally" in 1962 and named for its coat color. The Cinnamon is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) but not by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
Plush Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit with two varieties: Miniature and Standard. There is also a Canadian Plush Lop breed in development. Similar in appearance, the Velveteen Lop breed is also in development. Miniature Plush Lops were the first to be developed. Devie D'anniballe began creating this breed in 1995 in the United States. She succeeded in developing them by combining the previously existing breeds of Holland Lop, Mini Rex, and Mini Lop. Her aim was to create the perfect pet by retaining the good qualities of these breeds, while "breeding out" all the problems existing in these breeds.
The Silver Fox rabbit is a rare breed of domestic rabbit developed by Walter B. Garland of North Canton, Ohio, and bred for meat, show, and its unique fur. The breed is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
The New Zealand is a breed of rabbit, which despite the name, is American in origin. The breed originated in California, possibly from rabbits imported from New Zealand. New Zealand rabbits are available in five colors recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders' Association (ARBA): white, red, black, blue, and broken. Crossbreeding can result in many other variations, such as gold tipped steel and chestnut agouti. They average 10–12 lb (4.5–5.4 kg) with the does being slightly larger than the bucks. New Zealands are bred for meat, pelts, show, and laboratory uses, being the most commonly used breed of rabbit both for testing and meat production. They are also bred as pet rabbits but mostly breed for meat.
The Himalayan rabbit is a small breed of rabbit with similar markings to the Californian rabbit. The body is white with colored points, recognized colors are black, blue, chocolate and lilac.
