The Meissner Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). [1] It is similar to, but more slender than, the French Lop. The BRC currently designates the Meissner Lop as a member of its "Rare Varieties Club". [1]
Dwarf rabbit refers either (formally) to a rabbit with the dwarfing gene, or (informally) to any small breed of domestic rabbit or specimen thereof, or (colloquially) to any small rabbit. Dwarfism is a genetic condition that may occur in humans and in many animals, including rabbits. True dwarfism is often associated with a cluster of physical abnormalities, including pituitary dwarfism. The process of dwarfing is used to selectively breed for smaller stature with each generation. Small stature is a characteristic of neoteny, which may account for the attraction of dwarf animals.
The British Rabbit Council (BRC) is an organisation for rabbit enthusiasts in the United Kingdom. Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet.
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 French Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit developed in France in the 19th century from the selective breeding of English Lop and Flemish Giant stock. The French Lop resembles the English Lop, but the French Lop is heavier in stature and does not have the exaggerated ear length of the English Lop. Weighing approximately 4.98 kg to 5.21 kg, it has an average lifespan of five to seven years. The French Lop is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
Lop rabbit or lop-eared rabbit refers to any rabbit with ears that droop, as opposed to being carried erect. A number of rabbit breeds are characterized by such lop ears. Abnormalities in the skull of a half-lop rabbit were studied by Charles Darwin in 1868.
The term rex rabbit refers informally to one of at least eight breeds of domestic rabbit. One such breed is the Rex, which is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Other modern-day rex rabbit breeds are listed below. Care must be taken to distinguish the rex rabbit breeds from the three types of rex rabbit fur for which they are known.
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 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.
Miniature Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Confusion arises because, in the UK, the Miniature Lop is often commonly called the Mini Lop. It is, however, a different breed from the Mini Lop that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The BRC-recognized Miniature Lop is most similar to the ARBA-recognized Holland Lop. The Miniature Lop is also similar to several other small rabbit breeds.
Despite its name, the Alaska Rabbit originates in Germany, rather than Alaska. It is a medium-sized rabbit breed, weighing around 7-9 lbs (3–4 kg) with glossy jet-black fur. Any color other than black is a fault for this breed.
The Altex is a commercial breed of domestic rabbit developed, beginning in 1994, for cuniculture, specifically for the rabbit meat industry. The Altex breed is not recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) or by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
The Cashmere Lop rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit with long dense fur. There is also a Miniature Cashmere Lop. The Cashmere lop was recognised as being different from the Dwarf Lop by the British Rabbit Council in the 1980s. This breed, which originated in England, comes in many different colors and weighs approximately 4-5 lbs.
The Continental Giant, also known as the German Giant, is a very large breed of rabbit which was originally bred for meat. It is recognized by the British Rabbit Council in two categories, colored and white, but is not recognized as a breed by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
The Miniature Lion Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council. The breed is not currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. In addition to its lop ears, the distinguishing feature of this breed is its Lionhead-type mane and its small size: 1.5–1.6 kilograms (3.3–3.5 lb).
The Lilac rabbit is a dove-blue coloured breed of domestic rabbit. A uniform pink shade of dove is called for by the breed standard, with matching eyes. Lilacs are mid-sized, docile and hardy rabbits. Developed in Great Britain in the early 20th century, the breed spread to the United States in 1922. Population numbers remain low enough that it is currently listed by The Livestock Conservancy as a breed to watch. The Lilac breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
The German Lop rabbit is a recognised breed by the BRC. It is a very chunky and cobby Lop rabbit.
The Golden Glavcot is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). It is a small rabbit, weighing 5–6 lb (2.3–2.7 kg), with a golden-roan coat. The BRC standard for this breed describes its color thus: "A broad band of slate, merging into brown, tipped with light roan, the whole body interspersed with dark brown, nape of neck light brown, flanks and chest ticking off to a uniform shade slightly lighter than the body, under parts of body cream/white with slate under colour."