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 domestic rabbit is the domesticated form of the European rabbit, a member of the lagomorph order. A male rabbit is known as a buck, a female as a doe, and a young rabbit as a kit. There are hundreds of rabbit breeds, originating from all over the world.
The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) is a national club for domestic rabbits and cavy breeders. The ARBA is headquartered in Knox, Pennsylvania in the United States. Its membership is composed of rabbit and cavy exhibitors, commercial breeders and pet owners in North America and many countries throughout the world.
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 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 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).
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 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.
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 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.
The Velveteen Lop is a breed of lop-eared rabbit developed from Mini Rex and English Lop ancestry in the United States from the late 1980s through early 1990s. It is the first American rabbit breed to combine lopped ears and rex fur. Velveteens are known to have friendly, gentle personalities. They are medium-sized rabbits weighing 5 to 7 pounds when fully grown and come in a wide variety of coat colors.
The Silver rabbit is a rare breed of domestic rabbit believed to be brought to England by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1592. The breed has been bred for meat, show, and its pelt ever since and is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
