Page:Care and Management of Rabbits.djvu/54

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CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF RABBITS

many breeds have been crossed with the sandy giant in order to work out color combinations for various show purposes.

The Flemish Giant should not weigh less than 13 pounds and the breeders at the present time are working to make it weigh as much over 15 pounds as possible. Some specimens have been entered in shows which weighed as much as 22 pounds each and it is not unlikely that even heavier weights will soon be reached.

Because of his great size the Flemish Giant is a large boned animal and more or less slow in developing. This is not to be taken as a drawback but a natural fact which cannot be escaped. He could not be a quick grower and retain his natural vitality.

He is, however, subjected to much criticism because of this very fact. At ideal market age, he has more bone than any other animal and even though he does weigh more than other commercial breeds it is doubtful if he has as much meat on him. This is because Nature has been giving first attention to the develop-