The Saibei Rabbit: A Breed Profile

1 Origins and Appearance

The Saibei rabbit is a large meat-and-fur breed produced by crossing the French lop with the Belgian hare. It is found mainly in Hebei, Inner Mongolia, the northeast, and the northwest — a fine choice for rural keepers. Its coat comes in three main shades: tawny, straw-yellow, and white. The tawny type has black guard hairs on the tail edge and pale fur on the inner legs and belly. Overall the body is rectangular and solid, with prominent eyes and broad ears — usually one erect, one drooping. The muscles are full, the legs short and thick, and the build sturdy. It grows quickly and breeds readily: about 2.1 kg at three months, 5.0–6.5 kg adult, with 7–8 kits per litter on average. Like most large rabbits, it is susceptible to sore hocks and ear mange.

2 Strengths and Weaknesses

Its standout virtues are large size, high fertility, fast growth, strong disease resistance, low illness rate, tolerance of coarse feed, and a calm, easy-to-manage temperament.

The main drawback is uneven colour and build between individuals, so selective breeding still needs refining. Keep it as you would any large rabbit: it eats a lot, but its tolerance of coarse feed makes feeding relatively easy. Follow standard large-rabbit husbandry and vaccination. One reminder — while fattening matters, never neglect building the rabbit’s constitution; poor condition means poor meat and lower returns.