 A Black Silver Buck (male rabbit) | |
| Conservation status | Threatened |
|---|---|
| Traits | |
| Weight |
|
| Fur type | Flyback |
| Classification | |
| ARBA recognized | Yes |
| ARBA class | 4 |
| Show classes |
|
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 [1] (ARBA).
Although the origins of the breed are unknown, Silvers are thought to be a mutation of the European wild rabbit. [2] The breed was first discovered and brought to Europe in the early 1500s. The Silver rapidly spread across Europe and Asia; it is said that Sir Walter Raleigh introduced the rabbits to warrens in England. Later in the 1900s, the breed was brought to the United States of America. [3] The Silver was then one of the first breeds to be accepted by ARBA [1] in 1920. However, over time, more efficient meat rabbits were developed. This development caused the Silver to lose popularity, resulting in an extremely rare and critically endangered breed. [2]
The Silver is a medium-sized breed. [4] Senior bucks and does should weigh 4-7 pounds. [4] The breed is named for its unique fur whose guard hairs are silver-colored. The fur of the Silver rabbit is flyback: when stroked the opposite way of the fur, the fur "flies back" into position. The Silver is one of the many breeds accepted by ARBA that has flyback fur.
The Silver is classified as "compact" by ARBA. [1]
Currently, black, brown, and fawn Silvers can be shown to win best of breed in the United States of America, but the breed also comes in a variety of other colors, such as blue and tortoise. [5] The blue color had a "Certificate of Development" [6] in the United States of America for a short period of time, but is no longer in effect. The "Certificate of Development" allowed the blue to be shown with permission from the show organizers and with a working standard. By contrast, gray (black), brown, fawn, and blue can be shown [7] in the United Kingdom. The three recognized colors in the US are the same as they were nearly a century ago.
Silvers are known to be friendly and energetic.
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 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 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 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 Belgian Hare is a "fancy" breed of domestic rabbit. It has been selectively bred to resemble the wild European hare, but nevertheless, it is a rabbit rather than a true hare. Averaging 6–9 pounds (2.7–4.1 kg), the Belgian Hare is known for its slender and wiry frame and its long and powerful legs. The breed is responsible for launching the domestic rabbit industry, as well as popularizing rabbit shows in the United States.
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 Rhinelander is a medium-sized breed of domestic rabbit that originated in Germany. Rhinelanders are known for their distinctive facial "butterfly markings", a spine marking, colored ears, cheek spots, eye circles and side markings of black with orange or of blue with fawn. The Rhinelander breed is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC) and by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA).
The Harlequin is a colourful breed of rabbit originating from France. It is a breed based around the coloration and markings, rather than fur and body type. The ideal weight of a standard Harlequin is 6.5-9.5 lb (2–3 kg), with bucks (males) weighing 6.5-9 lb, and does (females) weighing 7-9.5 lb.
The Blanc de Hotot is a medium-sized rabbit breed originally developed in France. It is a compact, thickset white rabbit with spectacle-like black rings around each dark eye. First bred in Hotot-en-Auge, Normandy, France in the early 1900s, the breed spread throughout Europe and into North America by the 1920s. Initially unpopular in the United States, it died out there, and suffered population decline in World War II-era Europe. It began to spread again in the 1960s and 1970s, and was re-imported to the US in 1978. Today it is recognized by the British Rabbit Council and the American Rabbit Breeders Association, but is considered globally endangered, with a listing of "threatened" status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
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).
Dwarf Hotot is a breed of domestic rabbit characterized by an entirely white coat, except for a circle of another color around each eye.
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.