With a genetic project, a Mexican university student is raising giant Flemish rabbits, known as the largest in the world, in the municipality of Huachinango, in the state of Puebla, in the center of the country.
The dried apricots have surprised themselves because they weigh between 6 and 10 pounds and can be white, black, brindle or blue because their genetics are different from the traditional white rodents with red eyes.
Kiro Yakin, the 21-year-old who studies veterinary medicine and zootechnics at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), on the Xicotepec campus, told Efe that after a school project, he started his love of raising rabbits and working with their genetics. . to achieve the reproduction of a new species.
The university student explained that their size is the most important characteristic, as they can be compared in skin color to a small breed dog, such as a schnauzer, and that they can be a pet or for human consumption.
“This strain from Flanders is the largest in Mexico and in the world as they are only grown here, in New Zealand and California, places where they work to reproduce them faster so they have more meat in their bodies,” explained the young man.
The rabbit keeper explained that they are characterized by their wide head and ears, they have a curvature in the lower part of the back where they concentrate their muscles, and therefore they have more muscle than fat.
He also said they are lazy and don’t jump, which makes them beneficial to have at home.
PURPOSE OF THE BREEDING
Yakin indicated that he is working with the genetics of the species to reach new channels or bodies in the rabbits, making them bigger and having better survival traits.
In his first attempts he achieved the transformation of a species by crossing a Flemish giant with long, medium and wide ears with a more robust rabbit with long and wide ears.
With this cross he got a bigger and longer kitten, with long stylized ears, robust and with a brighter coat.
These rabbits have legs that are about three feet long and eight inches from body to tail.
“They don’t seem to be that big because they ‘curl up’ (they creep up), which is a characteristic of rabbits. Therefore, the size caused by the weight draws more attention to consumers or people,” said Yakin. .
The student assured that he is passionate about activities related to these rodents as most veterinarians are dedicated to the care of dogs and cats, traditional and common house pets.
With the start of his professional life in rabbit farming he wants to create better species as he also works with rex, minilop and lion head rabbits in their two varieties, a mane and double mane.
His dream is to realize the installation of a large farm like the professionals do, where he can exhibit and market his rabbits in large quantities, as he now does this on special orders.