I'll briefly write out the standard for meat pens:
"The four factors in the order of their importance for judging meat pens are as follows: (1) Meat Type, (2) Condition" (this means the level of fat cover basically)", (3) Uniformity, and (4) Fur
Meat pens shall consist of three rabbits, all of the same BREED"(meaning recognized ARBA breed, Not a mix) "and VARIETY"(this means color). "Pointed animals must all have the same point color. Broken meat pens must also be of the same variety. A meat pen does not necessarily have to come from the same litter. Age limit 10 weeks. Minimum weight 3 pounds each. Maximum weight 5 pounds each. All rabbits must be weighed in the presence of the judge."
There are no specified breeds for putting rabbits into a meat pen but you typically use commercial typed rabbits. Californians and New Zealands are typically the most competitive. Some other breeds that could be used are Satins, Standard Rex, Champagne D'Argents, Flemish Giants, and Palominos.
This is an AWESOME READ!! She talks like she knows from experience. Although in the south where meat pens are raised I wouldn't count out Champagnes as she does. I have seen them before in a pen.
http://www.arbadist1.com/Meat_Pens.pdf
with an excerpt on breeds to choose
"All commercial breeds are not created equal. The Commercial Type Group contains 18 breeds, but all are not suited for Meat Pen Competition. Right off the bat, you can eliminate French, Giant, and Satin Angoras. These are wool breeds. Silver Fox, though gorgeous, have a unique standing fur which, while beautiful, does not conform to the normal fur standard. You might find a judge that would disregard this, but why take the risk? The idea here is to maneuver you into a position of producing a winning meat pen. Next, you can eliminate Rex, American Sable, and Silver Martens. These breeds are beautiful in their own right, but they just donât have what it takes to produce a uniform, consistent meat pen. The clue here is that the ideal weight on senior bucks is 8 lbs. They just donât have what it takes to produce a 4 to 4 ½ lb fryer ay 8 to 10 weeks of age.
Iâm going to eliminate Blanc dâHotots next. I used to raise these when they first became accepted in this country. They are a striking rabbit in appearance, but they canât cut it as far as producing meat pens. They donât have either the growth rate or the substance of
flesh to produce a winning pen. French Lops have TOO MUCH substance. They are a little too massive. At a young age, they have almost more bone than flesh.
So where does that leave us? We have left to choose from:
Champagne dâArgent
Crème dâArgent
Californian
American Chinchilla
Cinnamon
New Zealand
Palominos
Satin
You could produce a respectable meat pen out of any of these breeds, but Iâm going to narrow it down a bit more. I would advise disregarding Champagnes, Crème dâArgents, Cinnamons, and American Chinchillas. Here is my rationale: These are GREAT breeds, but are relatively rare in many parts of the country. The genetic pool may be a bit saturated. In other words, the lines may be SO inbred as to reduce your chances of producing consistently, what the commercial market is looking for. So my advice is to eliminate these breeds.
The final contenders therefore are:
Californians
New Zealands
Palominos
Satins
Cals and New Zealands (Whites) are the leading favorites and by far produce the greatest number of winning pens. For those who like something a little different, Pals and Satins come in a close second. They have an advantage in eye appeal, but they do tend to grow a tad slower, so if you choose these breeds, you will definitely want to shoot for 10 week-old fryers on weigh-in day."
