The Mellerud rabbit is a very old type of rabbit. It had been originated from Sweden and has been referred to as bondkaniner (farm-rabbits) in as early as 1881.
The Mellerud bunny has landrace status in Sweden and can be considered a critically endangered variety.
Landrace signifies the animal strain that has been enhanced by traditional agricultural techniques.
Mellerud rabbit breed information
Mellerud rabbits are medium-sized animals. Concerning confirmation, they are much like those Gotland rabbits.
The Mellerud bucks are somewhat more compact with a rounder head and muzzle that is thicker. But the body of this does are relatively elongated with a mind. Usually does is larger and heavier than bucks in rabbit breeds.
But in the event of Mellerud rabbit, there’s absolutely not any weight gap between the bucks and does.
The ears of this Mellerud rabbit are thin and medium in length. Their ears are pointed rather than rounded and somewhat large with an expression. The color of their eyes is brown, blue, or a combination of both.
Rabbits have a nice coat with the spotting of black or albino color, referred to as Dutch rabbit markings. There’s a level of variation in the markings than in conventional show breeds. Because the breeders of the Mellerud bunny haven’t strived to standardize the mark.
And many Melleruds exhibit white muzzles, white front of chest, blazes to varying levels and white front paws.
The white markings with this type might also extend to and include the sides of the face the shoulders or the legs.
Even the Mellerud rabbits are moderate in size and their normal body weight can be between 3 and 3.5 kg.
Mellerud rabbit breed benefits
The Mellerud rabbit is a farm rabbit. And it is raised for meat production and for pelts.
The Mellerud rabbit is a hardy and strong animal. The number is energetic and curious in nature. They are generally considered to be somewhat calmer than the Gotland rabbits.
On average the Mellerud does have a tendency to generate smaller litters. And compared to manufacturing breeds, the Mellerud kids grow slowly. But they need feeds than the meat rabbits.
They are hardy and well adapted to living outside. They are also protected against sunshine and drafts.
Like most other bunny strains, the Mellerud rabbit requires healthy food and all-time access to clean water to remaining healthy and productive.
Their average lifespan is about 5 to 8 years.
History
The Gotland bunny is another well-known landrace from Sweden. The Mellerud rabbit shares part of its history with this rabbit.
The two landraces originated from older traces of farm rabbits that were once very common throughout Sweden.
And they have been raised for their meat and pelts. These plantation rabbits disappeared in the 1990s from all sections of the nation and were thought to be extinct. However, there were farm types a couple of rabbits discovered in the late 1990s.
These rabbits were in the maintenance of an elderly woman in Mellerud, referred to as”Edith I Sjöskogen”. She was a time rabbit keeper since 1937. Though the point she kept was believed to be older.
Today some breeders and also the Gotland Rabbit Society are attempting to keep the breed. The Gotland Rabbit Society is in charge of its preservation work of this Mellerud bunny.
The number of the variety is increasing. As of 2013, there are approximately 160 Mellerud rabbits that are registered.
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